LA Daily News: L.A. County AIDS office sued

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L.A. County AIDS office sued

Health foundation cites conflict of interest
By Troy Anderson, Staff Writer
LA Daily News

The AIDS Healthcare Foundation has filed an amended lawsuit against Los Angeles County's AIDS office, alleging its officials were involved in conflicts of interest and wasted taxpayer funds. The lawsuit also alleges that the county has attempted to silence the foundation for criticizing it by pursuing a campaign to close the area's only AIDS hospice, which is owned and operated by the foundation.

"Despite having an official statutory mandate to serve the acute health needs of this community in the fairest and most efficient way possible, (the Office of AIDS Programs and Policy) have indulged and continue to indulge in the very favoritism, professional back-scratching and retaliation that state lawmakers have been battling for years," foundation attorney Katy Robison wrote in the suit. Robison also alleged that the OAPP has not accounted for $80 million in taxpayer funds.

Public Health Chief of Operations John Schunhoff said a judge ruled against the foundation on many of its points in its first complaint and the county is preparing a response to the new allegations. He denied that $80 million in taxpayer funds is missing.

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The amended lawsuit comes nearly eight months after the director of the program, Charles Henry, was removed from his post and placed on "special assignment" to Schunhoff. County investigators found that Henry broke state law by taking a leave of absence and soliciting campaign contributions on behalf of Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa from OAPP employees and contractors, according to an Aug. 3 letter from Schunhoff contained in the Civil Service Commission file.

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Troy Anderson, [phone] [e-mail]

http://www.dailynews.com/news/ci_3379065