BY JOHN KRAFT & KIRK ALLEN Chicago, IL. (ECWd) – Kirk Allen and the Edgar County Watchdogs have filed suit in Cook County Circuit Court alleging that the Illinois Department of Public Health has violated the Freedom Of Information Act. Kirk Allen had requested public records related to the IDPH’s COVID-19 data published in a
BY JOHN KRAFT & KIRK ALLEN
Chicago, IL. (ECWd) –
Kirk Allen and the Edgar County Watchdogs have filed suit in Cook County Circuit Court alleging that the Illinois Department of Public Health has violated the Freedom Of Information Act.
Kirk Allen had requested public records related to the IDPH’s COVID-19 data published in a webinar, consisting of the data located in the pie chart on page 13 of that document.
IDPH responded by extending their time to comply with the FOIA request.
IDPH failed to provide any of the requested public records.
Almost 6 months have passed since the original FOIA was sent.
Read the complaint below:
Help Us Keep Shining The Light On Local Governments
-
Murfalini
Posted at 21:55h, 22 April
ReplyIt is the law, there to protect us. Give up the info, or pay dearly.
-
Chris
Posted at 06:08h, 23 April
ReplyGlad to see someone is willing to hold them accountable, not like the rollover media would.
-
cynthia s
Posted at 07:21h, 23 April
ReplyGood. The watch dogs are the only resource we have to protect the people in Illinois with their knowledge and understanding of the law and FOIA. This just shows us the corruption in the state of Illinois.
-
Mags
Posted at 08:01h, 23 April
ReplyUnfortunately nothing happens to our Government employees who violate FOIA and open Meetings Act. Until violators of the law start going to jail this will continue.
No accountability. No Transparency. Always ask yourself – What are they hiding?
-
jannie
Posted at 09:08h, 23 April
ReplyI hoee the poster who said they hoped they paid deary — remember this is a public body so we the taxpayer pay.
-
kathiann
Posted at 09:58h, 23 April
ReplyYou go guys! You are leading the way in reformation of Illinois government. Of course they have violated it and so has the governor who refuses to give out his sources he has been making all his one man Covid rules for the last year. That should tell us those so-called “sources” may not exist. It sure has looked like they were making it up as they went along. My experience with government board meetings is, if they can hide it, they will. Very few want true transparency. And they determine what the public is allowed to know.
-
Ang
Posted at 10:50h, 23 April
ReplySpeaking of we, the taxpayers, pay, all concerned citizen activists should be calling up their elected reps (maybe even the Illinois Attorney General if they got hit with a surprise medical bill from a private, for profit ambulance company) over this totally currently legal outrage:
Private for profit ambulance company Superior Air-Ground Ambulance has their SEO (search engine optimization) displaying all of the jobs they are hiring for when you search the name of the company. So I went and researched if they had applied for any PPP loans and guess what? Voila!
1. They got a PPP loan:
2. They are legally allowed to get subsidies from local towns per the Illinois code. As a taxpayer, have no major issue with localities having EMS service subsidized, because Medicare doesn’t allow the full cost billed, so without some subsidizing, operators might not be able to operate. Many towns have their own firefighter paramedics and EMTs and it would be lame if a town didn’t have them. This is noble work. Many EMTs are volunteers. However, when it comes to subsidizing private for profit EMS, taxpayers should see quality in return for their tax dollars. Not this:
Not even transporting a patient, subsidized with my tax dollars and their drivers injure other drivers by pushing their cars across all lanes of traffic. Again: NO patient was in process of being transported by Superior’s Mario Andretti or Bubba Wallace wannabe.
Also, they lost custody of a clearly disturbed patient last year. How do you lose custody of your own patient?
https://www.foxnews.com/us/man-trump-tower-chicago-escaped-private-ambulance-police
Because subsidies are lawful per Illinois code, Superior Air-Ground Ambulance tried to get subsidized in other states and look what this town council had to say about it-
http://chestertontribune.com/Town%20of%20Chesterton/town_council_to_superior_ambulan.htm
So that’s already 2 types of economic subsidizing, local towns paying a subsidy (in Illinois at least, not sure how all of the neighboring states do things) and Paycheck Protection Program loans. For even a privately owned, for profit ambulance service.
3. Now, there’s even more funding through the latest stimulus, although it appears that double dipping is not allowed:
Why is this an issue for taxpayers, subsidizing private for profit EMS providers? Well, what level of quality are we subsidizing here? Traffic crashes with injuries when no patient is even in the ambulance? Patients escaping altogether? Oh and check this one out, this Metro Paramedics is a susidiary under the Superior Air-Ground Ambulance parent entity:
These scandals all happened in recent years, too! How long does one need to be in business before they finally get it together? And we pay for this?!?
I want a tax refund specifically from whatever went to companies that operate like this one! Much prefer the union firefighter paramedics over these private for profits. Read about the business model. It is not anti-capitalist to oppose subsidizing private companies with horrible scandals in the news over their operations:
https://www.currentaffairs.org/2018/08/the-problem-of-private-ambulance-services
Write your congressperson! Stop subsidizing scandals! And donate, instead, to your local government firefighters.
End of soapbox. Drive safely (because Heaven forbid Superior is near your car out on the roads).
-
PK
Posted at 11:33h, 23 April
ReplyAs far as I’m concerned, having to file a FOIA for pertinent public health information makes the department’s director look less competent and less likeable. The initial time extension and failure to follow-through also gives rise to question the veracity of the information after the court orders it to be released.
Excellent choice of venue!
Murfalini
Posted at 21:55h, 22 April
Reply
It is the law, there to protect us. Give up the info, or pay dearly.
Chris
Posted at 06:08h, 23 April
Reply
Glad to see someone is willing to hold them accountable, not like the rollover media would.
cynthia s
Posted at 07:21h, 23 April
Reply
Good. The watch dogs are the only resource we have to protect the people in Illinois with their knowledge and understanding of the law and FOIA. This just shows us the corruption in the state of Illinois.
Mags
Posted at 08:01h, 23 April
Reply
Unfortunately nothing happens to our Government employees who violate FOIA and open Meetings Act. Until violators of the law start going to jail this will continue.
No accountability. No Transparency. Always ask yourself – What are they hiding?
jannie
Posted at 09:08h, 23 April
Reply
I hoee the poster who said they hoped they paid deary — remember this is a public body so we the taxpayer pay.
kathiann
Posted at 09:58h, 23 April
Reply
You go guys! You are leading the way in reformation of Illinois government. Of course they have violated it and so has the governor who refuses to give out his sources he has been making all his one man Covid rules for the last year. That should tell us those so-called “sources” may not exist. It sure has looked like they were making it up as they went along. My experience with government board meetings is, if they can hide it, they will. Very few want true transparency. And they determine what the public is allowed to know.
Ang
Posted at 10:50h, 23 April
Reply
Speaking of we, the taxpayers, pay, all concerned citizen activists should be calling up their elected reps (maybe even the Illinois Attorney General if they got hit with a surprise medical bill from a private, for profit ambulance company) over this totally currently legal outrage:
Private for profit ambulance company Superior Air-Ground Ambulance has their SEO (search engine optimization) displaying all of the jobs they are hiring for when you search the name of the company. So I went and researched if they had applied for any PPP loans and guess what? Voila!
1. They got a PPP loan:
https://www.federalpay.org/paycheck-protection-program/superior-air-ground-ambulance-of-michigan-inc-elmhurst-il
2. They are legally allowed to get subsidies from local towns per the Illinois code. As a taxpayer, have no major issue with localities having EMS service subsidized, because Medicare doesn’t allow the full cost billed, so without some subsidizing, operators might not be able to operate. Many towns have their own firefighter paramedics and EMTs and it would be lame if a town didn’t have them. This is noble work. Many EMTs are volunteers. However, when it comes to subsidizing private for profit EMS, taxpayers should see quality in return for their tax dollars. Not this:
https://chicago.suntimes.com/2020/2/4/21122230/superior-ambulance-crash-rollover-159th-street-i-355-homer-glen
Not even transporting a patient, subsidized with my tax dollars and their drivers injure other drivers by pushing their cars across all lanes of traffic. Again: NO patient was in process of being transported by Superior’s Mario Andretti or Bubba Wallace wannabe.
Also, they lost custody of a clearly disturbed patient last year. How do you lose custody of your own patient?
https://www.foxnews.com/us/man-trump-tower-chicago-escaped-private-ambulance-police
Because subsidies are lawful per Illinois code, Superior Air-Ground Ambulance tried to get subsidized in other states and look what this town council had to say about it-
http://chestertontribune.com/Town%20of%20Chesterton/town_council_to_superior_ambulan.htm
So that’s already 2 types of economic subsidizing, local towns paying a subsidy (in Illinois at least, not sure how all of the neighboring states do things) and Paycheck Protection Program loans. For even a privately owned, for profit ambulance service.
3. Now, there’s even more funding through the latest stimulus, although it appears that double dipping is not allowed:
https://www.ems1.com/financial-planning/articles/youve-seen-the-cares-act-stimulus-payment-but-did-you-see-the-strings-pHc0TFD32VTeSopN/
Why is this an issue for taxpayers, subsidizing private for profit EMS providers? Well, what level of quality are we subsidizing here? Traffic crashes with injuries when no patient is even in the ambulance? Patients escaping altogether? Oh and check this one out, this Metro Paramedics is a susidiary under the Superior Air-Ground Ambulance parent entity:
https://chicago.suntimes.com/news/2021/2/23/22297643/victor-cazares-cicero-looting-murder-lawsuit-fire-department
These scandals all happened in recent years, too! How long does one need to be in business before they finally get it together? And we pay for this?!?
I want a tax refund specifically from whatever went to companies that operate like this one! Much prefer the union firefighter paramedics over these private for profits. Read about the business model. It is not anti-capitalist to oppose subsidizing private companies with horrible scandals in the news over their operations:
https://www.currentaffairs.org/2018/08/the-problem-of-private-ambulance-services
Write your congressperson! Stop subsidizing scandals! And donate, instead, to your local government firefighters.
End of soapbox. Drive safely (because Heaven forbid Superior is near your car out on the roads).
PK
Posted at 11:33h, 23 April
Reply
As far as I’m concerned, having to file a FOIA for pertinent public health information makes the department’s director look less competent and less likeable. The initial time extension and failure to follow-through also gives rise to question the veracity of the information after the court orders it to be released.
Excellent choice of venue!