Frist’s Conduct in 1999 Completely Contradicts His 2005 Excuse
Frist’s Conduct in 1999 Completely Contradicts His 2005 Excuse
Sen. Bill Frist claims that he sold his stock in HCA so he could vigorously pursue a health care agenda. From yesterday’s New York Times:
The senator’s spokesman, Bob Stevenson, said Wednesday that Mr. Frist “made a conscious decision to divest himself of all HCA assets” so he could pursue an ambitious agenda of health care legislation free of any appearance of self-interest.
In the past, however, Frist has argued strenuously that his ownership of HCA stock did not prevent him from taking a leadership role on health care policy in the Senate. From USA Today, 9/13/99:
Senate Republican leaders have looked to Frist, as a highly regarded physician, to sell the country on their vision of limited federal regulation of HMOs…
As a result of Frist’s leading role, members of both parties were concerned that his stock holdings created an ethical conflict:
But Frist’s key role this year in blocking President Clinton’s “patients’ bill of rights” proposal has brought new questions from Democrats and even some Republicans about whether the senator has a conflict of interest in health policy issues — not because he is a physician, but because of his ties to the nation’s largest for-profit hospital chain, Columbia/HCA Healthcare Corp.
Frist dismissed the argument out of hand. In fact, he argued that HCA stock holdings helped him do his job better:
Frist rejects suggestions that he has any conflict of interest and says the Senate Ethics Committee backs him up. His background and connections, he says, are an asset when Congress deals with health care.
Next excuse, Senator Frist?
Sort Comments By: Top Rated | Date
41 Responses to “Frist’s Conduct in 1999 Completely Contradicts His 2005 Excuse”
Topic Cloud
ArchivesBlog Roll
What’s that? USA Today on 9/13/05: “Senate repubican leaders have looked to Frist, as a highly regarded physician…”
They can’t be talking about the same Dr. Fristenstien who knows from looking a photo how to bring a brain dead woman back to life, can they?
September 23rd, 2005 at 3:29 pmFrist - Bill Clinton made me do it.
September 23rd, 2005 at 3:41 pmNote: The USA Today article is from 1999, I’ve corrected it above.
September 23rd, 2005 at 3:45 pmDo we really want to be led by people who
September 23rd, 2005 at 3:45 pmhave lived there entire lifes without having
to follow the rules?
Do we really want to be led by people whohave
lived there entire lifes without having
^^^^^ ^^^^^
their lives
to follow the rules?
Never going to pass typing class with that
September 23rd, 2005 at 3:47 pmerror rate.
You would think that someone who wants to run for president in 2008 might be a little less obvious and less public in his business deals. Looks like Frist is as dumb as Dubya.
September 23rd, 2005 at 3:51 pm1999 or 2005. Judd, its the same repubilican judgement no matter the date.
September 23rd, 2005 at 3:53 pmHis background and connections, he says, are an asset when Congress deals with health care.
especially wrt brain-dead invalids whom God himself has abandoned.
September 23rd, 2005 at 4:12 pm“His background and connections, he says, are an asset when Congress deals with health care.”
He didn’t say to whom his connections were an asset.
September 23rd, 2005 at 4:14 pmSpeaking of the “corrupt establishment” Judd, why so silent on the developing “Chuck Fraud” scandal, in which Senator “Tricky Chuck” Schumer’s DSCC aides have been caught feloniously stealing credit information on GOP politicians. Senator Schumer can bloviate ad nauseum about protecting privacy rights - but when it comes to the privacy rights of Lt. Gov. Steele and others, I guess all bets are off. Is that what you “progressives” stand for?
PS: Even the “braindead” Washington Post is ahead of you on this one. Your only real MSM competition for bringing up the rear is the Grey Lady herself - the New York Times. Better get on the ball, or even the NYT may scoop ya.
September 23rd, 2005 at 4:26 pmSigns you are a right wing nutjob:
You use the term “bloviate” to describe your opponents’ arguments.
September 23rd, 2005 at 4:39 pmSigns you have lost the capacity for “progressive” thinking: You attack anyone with whom you disagree as a “right wing nutjob,” rather than debate the merits of an issue.
September 23rd, 2005 at 4:44 pmThere was merit to your issue?
September 23rd, 2005 at 4:51 pmWelcome back BSR-troll, where ya been?
Blue State Red, glad to have a little support here for the “right” side of things. Good take in #10, trying to switch the subject or focus of a post to something else. I usually do that, too, when I have no defense or arguement to stand up with. Nice crack at Judd, too, attacking the author usually works in a pinch when hitting the left without a credible line.
Correct me if I’m wrong, but your “Tricky Chuck” name is so LAME. I mean, I’m on your side here but trying to get a name like that going is so—corny? That is an old one the left used on “Tricky Dick” so better get some new lines, OK? That “blobiate ad nauseum” was a little over my head, me being a redneck republican and all. Better use some smaller words. By the way, speaking of a developing fraud and corruption scandal, how is it going with our friends, Tom DeLay and Karl Rove? Boy, they sure are trying to crawl out from under of a pile of shit, ain’t they?
September 23rd, 2005 at 4:57 pmYou know Joe, for a redneck republican, your posts
September 23rd, 2005 at 5:02 pmare worth reading.
“Correct me if I’m wrong”
Okay, you’re wrong.
September 23rd, 2005 at 5:03 pmNo, no BSR, “Tricky Chuck†is totally lame. Really.
September 23rd, 2005 at 5:05 pmJust read it to yourself. It is okay, you can move
your lips as we can’t see you….
See, it is just plain lame.
““Correct me if I’m wrongâ€
Okay, you’re wrong. ”
BlueRed,
Nice try, if you don’t know why someone is wrong, then you’re just an overly opinionated propagandist - but as a republican, what else would you be?
September 23rd, 2005 at 5:15 pmOK, if you say I’m wrong, I ain’t one to argue. I mean, with a fellow ‘publican and all. But, please, don’t embarrass us conservatives any more with that “Tricky Chuck” stuff, OK, Red?
Correct me if I’m wrong, but your references to Chuck Schumer here are about as silly as a bunch of Crawford Cowboys passing gas after a Bush-ranch BBQ. Try to follow the subject matter: Frist.
I do have a question about as on target as yours, however: does your wife get as mad at you as mine does at me when you make arm-pit noises that sound like farts when you get drunk?
September 23rd, 2005 at 5:25 pmBlueRed,
There’s no such article on the washington post - you’ve been duped by your propaganda machine to post more smears that aren’t true. You must be the stupidest redneck in the world to believe the CBC…
September 23rd, 2005 at 5:50 pmsomeone on Frist’s staff needs to tell him about this “Google” trend. I don’t think it’s going away.
September 23rd, 2005 at 6:02 pm“There’s no such article on the washington post.”
I’ve read the article. It’s on page A22 of yesterday’s edition. Maybe you should try harder.
September 23rd, 2005 at 6:08 pmBSR-Troll,
September 23rd, 2005 at 6:09 pmYou provide a link that doesn’t work and then
tell people to try harder?
What kind of a dork are you?
BlueStateRed,
If you can’t provide a link, it’s just propaganda. Your side pretends things all the time, so you’re an untrustworthy source when you can’t even supply a single link to back up your outrageous claims.
September 23rd, 2005 at 6:26 pmIt reminds me of all of the Reichwinger claims that a drug ring was being run out of the Clinton whitehouse. Kind of ironic since it was PROVEN that the Reagan administration was paying for Iran/Contra with illegal drug sales on american streets… So much for the war ‘on’ drugs, it’s more like the war ‘paid for by’ drugs…
September 23rd, 2005 at 6:27 pmHe isn’t a dork, he’s a twit and a loser.
September 23rd, 2005 at 6:28 pmRyan, here’s the article BSR is talking about:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/ wp-dyn/ content/ article/ 2005/ 09/ 22/ AR2005092202023.html
September 23rd, 2005 at 6:44 pmMikey,
Yeah I found it and posted it on the other thread he ranted on. He completely misrepresented the situation as all propagandists do. They obtained a credit report - the same kind that your mortgage broker gets when you apply for a loan - to see what kind of financial problems the republican guy had. It was unauthorized, and it was 2 staffers acting on their own. Ironically anyone can obtain these credit reports quite easily because of Republican policies that reduce security of personal information. If you have a few bucks you can get one of these on basically anyone - it’s a real crap situation that the republicans just keep making worse.
Perhaps the democrats should use the same argument the republicans used when they were caught hacking into democratic computers and stealing files. “It’s not our fault that you don’t have adequate security”. I kid you not, that was their OFFICIAL response… Hypocrits!
September 23rd, 2005 at 7:30 pmPlease forgive, off point. Ryan the first time I heard “I kid you not’, was years ago by Jack Parr on his show. Brings back memories. Wow!….Blessings
September 23rd, 2005 at 8:20 pmSharon,
Well I’d admit I’m not 18 :)
September 23rd, 2005 at 8:30 pmRyan,
You are not 18. Dude, you are very smart for a young person. I commend your search for the truth. Maybe someday you can help to bring this country back together, now that Bush has it completely FUBAR.
September 23rd, 2005 at 9:21 pmNo, I think have pants that are 18 - I was joking :)
September 23rd, 2005 at 10:56 pmYeah, I was about to say.
Cheers anyways. Keep up the good work man.
I wish I knew half as much as you.
September 24th, 2005 at 12:30 amThanks for the compliment - and be clear that’s what makes you a liberal! The reichwingers resent it when someone knows more and presents the facts, liberals strive for it. It’s as simple as the difference between good and evil… And yet evil always traps the ignorant into the delusion that they are good despite their evil ways…
September 24th, 2005 at 12:53 amI agree with #33, I appreciate your posts Ryan and have learned much from this site. I will also add, I always check other sorces as well, that’s the skeptic side. So far I am truly impressed. Thought I knew a lot, now know I knew very little and am learning more every day. Again Thank You…..Blessings
September 24th, 2005 at 8:44 amFrist said he only uses Martha Stewart for investment advice and she said it was ok. of course he may have only seen her video.
September 24th, 2005 at 2:16 pmI don’t get it. He’s claiming that he sold his shares of HCA to avoid an appearance of conflict of interest. Yet he also claims that it was a blind trust, so doesn’t that mean that he wouldn’t have known that he had stock in HCA?
September 24th, 2005 at 8:57 pmInsider trading is a felony! Convict the jerk so he can’t run for public office again!
September 24th, 2005 at 11:01 pmI haven’t seen any evidence that Frist knew HCA would report poor earnings (based on insider information). If he didn’t, then he is not guilty of insider trading.
Most people on this site believe that since Frist is a republican, he must be guilty of the accusation, period. That is, his politics prove his guilt. But this is a logical fallacy. The fact that you don’t like Frist is *not* evidence that he is guilty of insider trading.
September 25th, 2005 at 12:13 amSo you believe it’s just an accident that the stock plummeted after his huge selloff? And you believe it’s an accident that several other executives and family members sold at the same time? If he were from a different political party - what would you be saying? I bet I can guess the answer.
September 25th, 2005 at 2:12 amA very friendly site. Have a nice day! when Tournament is Grass it will Love Corner: http://www.batmanbegins.com/ , to Rape Tournament you should be very Curious when Table Lose Cards Steal , International TV becomes Industrious Tournament in final when Stake is Stake it will Bet Tournament
December 4th, 2005 at 3:10 pm