Lisa McDougald’s June 30 letter to the editor imparts a vast amount of misinformation that needs to be corrected with the real facts.
Ms. McDougald erroneously presented that Rep. Mike Garcia announced he would investigate “Gov. Gavin Newsom’s handling of COVID-19 nursing home policies.”
Wrong.
The L.A. County Board of Supervisors announced on May 21 they were going forth with said investigations including creating a new county position of an appointed inspector general. Rep. Mike Garcia announced his support of the continuing investigation over one month later. He did not initiate the investigation.
(bit.ly/3f6EcxS).
McDougald finds it “disingenuous and hypocritical” to use taxpayer funds for the investigation.
The fact is Rep. Garcia’s support is verbal and represents his belief that the county is taking appropriate action.
Reasonable, responsible people care that after the federal government has spent $3 trillion on COVID-19 recovery (passed by the House of Representatives) we want and deserve answers especially in light of the requests for lots of money by Assemblywoman Christy Smith and Gov. Newsom.
L.A. County Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas thinks so as well, stating, “The public has a right to know and the public has a right to expect that these frail and elderly individuals are treated well.”
In short, Rep. Garcia has not spent one penny of taxpayer money; this is the county’s investigation.
Naturally President Donald Trump is brought in to be criticized as if California’s woes are his fault. The facts are that Trump acted quickly and efficiently and was praised by Gov. Newsom as early as March 12. He said so again to CNN on April 10. (https://bit.ly/2NMf7wq).
Irrespective of the cheap shot that Trump has not taken “this pandemic seriously,” truth and facts prove otherwise. Gov. Newsom has his own issue with a highly criticized $1.4 billion questionable deal with a Chinese company.
(bit.ly/3f3uBrP).
The subject letter accuses Rep. Garcia as being “vindictive” about the investigation, which isn’t even his.
I’ll bet the tens of thousands of people who mourn the 2,154 deaths (tally as of June 17) of their loved ones in the nursing homes do not feel it’s vindictive and political folly.
Betty Arenson
Valencia
