Louisiana Voice

It was difficult to tell if it was just an artful dodge or sheer ineptness on the part of Stephen Russo when he appeared before the Joint Medicaid Oversight Committee to testify about the placement of nursing home patients in a Tangipahoa Parish warehouse but whichever it was, it was a pathetic performance by someone in his area of responsibility.

Russo is executive legal counsel for the Department of Health which regulates nursing homes. What’s more, he was appointed INTERIM SECRETARY of the department during the time between the resignation of Dr. Rebecca Gee and the appointment of her successor, COURTNEY PHILLIPS.

Despite his high level of authority, Russo danced the bureaucratic shuffle under questioning from legislators who, had they done their own research, could have – should have – known of Russo’s background well in advance. Instead, they preferred to appear outraged and infuriated as opposed to the more realistic and accurate ill-informed and grandstanding over the treatment of the 853 patients from seven nursing homes who were evacuated into that warehouse in Independence as Hurricane Ida approached.

If the legislators had done their homework, they would have known that Russo (1) got PERSONALLY INVOLVED in Dr. Gee’s efforts to retain her tenure at LSU  Health Science Center while simultaneously serving as DHH secretary – in apparent violation of the Governmental Code of Ethics (you may remember when we used to have an ethics board that actually meant something).

If the legislators had not been so intent on posturing for the TV cameras, they might have taken the time to learn how Russo had PROTECTED  Attorney Supervisor Weldon Hill by intimidating and humiliating – and demoting – the woman who complained of Hill’s sexual harassment – a complaint that eventually resulted in DHH’s quietly SETTLING with the complainant.

And while that settlement was “only” $45,000, a little deeper drive by legislators might have revealed how much taxpayers actually HAD TO PAY to defend that lawsuit.

Perhaps they might have taken the time to peruse Russo’s DEPOSITION  in that case – just to get a little background going into those hearings so they might anticipate how he would respond under questioning.

What Bob Dean allowed to take place in his nursing homes was deplorable. He’d already had one facility shut down by inspectors and now he has lost his license for the seven involved in the evacuation that resulted in at least 12 deaths. His cavalier attitude about the “acceptable” number of deaths didn’t help his public image – if, indeed, he was ever worried about his public image.

And, true enough, Russo wasn’t the one on trial for the unspeakable tragedy. But his agency is the one charged with nursing home oversight so, the buck must stop there. And he is the executive legal counsel for DHH.

So, why the hell did he refuse to answer some of the questions put to him “on the advice of counsel”

What counsel? He IS the counsel.

And he WAS, for a time, at least, secretary of the entire agency.

If Russo can’t – or won’t – answer questions, who, then, will?

His performance was wholly unsatisfactory and unacceptable.

Legislators need to press on with their inquiry.

And they need to do their homework in advance so they won’t look so addle-brained.

Faux indignation doesn’t play well anymore.