Broward Health board votes to keep meeting on FBI investigation private

Emily Rappleye -

Fort Lauderdale, Fla.-based Broward Health's board voted 5-2 to hold a meeting about a potential FBI corruption investigation in private, despite its status as a public hospital system, according to the Sun-Sentinel.

During what is called a "shade meeting," the board will review an email from corporate private investigator Wayne Black, who claimed an FBI investigation into Broward Health's affairs was being obstructed by its lawyers, according to the report.

The board is waiting to obtain a legal opinion that the plan will not violate Florida's laws for open meetings. It wants to keep the meeting private so as not to compromise the investigation or tarnish reputations of innocent people, according to the report.

The chairman of the board, David Di Pietro, opposed the shade meeting, and suggested he may resign if it the board chooses to move forward with it, according to the report. The Sun Sentinel editorial page editor, Rosemary O'Hara, also opposed the idea of a private meeting.

"It is our understanding that a shade meeting can be held when there is a matter of litigation that is facing you," she said, according to the report. "From our read of this, you have an email that you want to go behind doors and close and not let the public hear what is going on here."

Mr. Black says Nabil El Sanadi, MD, the late president and CEO of Broward Health, hired him to investigate security services and alleged kickbacks last spring. Dr. El Sanadi committed suicide on Jan. 24.

 

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