NEW YORK (JTA) — New York’s attorney general, Letitia James, won’t participate in the investigation into ParCare, the network of health clinics under scrutiny for potential fraud related to the new coronavirus vaccine.
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James recused herself from the investigation into the clinics, which are owned by Gary Schlesinger, a Hasidic Jewish leader from Williamsburg, Brooklyn, a longtime supporter of hers who has posted a number of photos of himself with her to Facebook over the past several years.
“In order to avoid even an appearance of conflict, the attorney general has personally recused herself from this matter,” James’ office said in a statement, according to The New York Post.
But the investigation will continue into whether ParCare may have obtained doses of the coronavirus vaccine “fraudulently” and distributed them more broadly than state guidelines allowed.
The clinic advertised its vaccines and administered several hundreds doses to members of the public at a time when only frontline healthcare workers and nursing home residents and workers were eligible.
Two leading Modern Orthodox rabbis received doses of the vaccine at a ParCare clinic. One of them, Rabbi Hershel Schachter, said they would not have taken the vaccine if they had known it was not appropriate.
The attorney general’s office said the relationship between James and Schlesinger would not compromise the investigation, saying, “our office will follow the facts and the law wherever they may lead,” according to the Post.
But one Orthodox resident of New York told the Post the investigation was now suspect. “No one’s taking it seriously as a threat,” that person said. “It’s known she’s very good friends with the Hasidic community. She’s unlikely to do anything to jeopardize that relationship.”
Meanwhile, New York’s vaccine rollout is proceeding sluggishly, with New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio blaming Gov. Andrew Cuomo for not widening the categories of people eligible to be vaccinated. After state officials began investigating ParCare last week, Cuomo issued an executive order imposing fines of up to $1 million for vaccine-related fraud.
Meanwhile this very same doses that were confiscated from ParCare sit languishing in one of Cuomo’s freezers together with millions of other doses. My 97 year old holocaust survivor grandmother was scheduled to get one of those ParCare shots before Cuomo sent his goons to snatch them. Great going “Your Highness””!
Who cares who gets the shots? At least people would be receiving it. Now it is held up because someone skipped the line. And the Governor and the Mayor are at it again. No one can get their act in order?
Give the people the vaccine. The healthcare workers/first responders/nursing home residents had three weeks to get it. Now it must go to those willing and ready to take it.
NY AG James did the right thing, unlike Trump’s goons in DOJ. Parcare is crooked and created an international chillul hashem for all Yidden.
People are dying and Cuomo is lying.
Hey Governor and Mayor, give all the Vaccines you have to the BIKUR CHOLIM, and they will vaccinate more people in one day, whether Jewish or Non Jewish, more effectively than you would ever be able to imagine.
Give the Vaccine to Hatzolah to give out, I bet you that the great Hatzolah members won’t mind going to people’s homes to give them the Vaccine.
Keep the Governor and the Mayor out of it!!!
The way its going is a total disaster and disgrace!!!!
democrats are now calling the shots who gets shot and who gets the shots
She should recuse herself from anything as she is obviously unqualified for this position as she is nothing more than a token affirmative action hiree.