The Observation Deck

It has been a week since David anderson made false claims about my article: “State Auditor Report Confirms Cleveland Clinic Paid $9.6 Million, A Fraction Of Hospital Value, For Lakewood Hospital”


David Anderson has offered no evidence to counter any of the facts in my article that was based on verified documents.

Anderson’s First False Claim: “First off, the City of Lakewood did not sell the hospital.”

The Facts: It’s a fact that the hospital was sold to the Clinic—proof comes directly from the State Auditors’ Report, LHA's audited financial statements, the Master Agreement, and the Ohio Secretary of State’s records. The Clinic bought the hospital’s holding company, LHA, including all goodwill and property used in the operation of the hospital. LHA is now a wholly owned subsidiary of the Clinic. The Clinic is operating their ER--it is not ours anymore. The Clinic paid just $9.6M. The only thing they didn’t buy in the sale was the “mothballed” gutted building.

Anderson’s Second False Claim: “Secondly, the 2015 CAFR, which is sited [sic] by Mr. Essi as a base for his false headline, only recorded the cash transactions that occurred on or prior to December 31, 2015. Lakewood did not take back the properties (back on the City’s books from when these went off in 1987) until early 2016.”

The Facts: The State Auditor's Report together with documents from the Zupka CPA that worked for the State Auditor were posted last week and verify what I wrote in my article. Those verified accounting documents confirm that Mr. Anderson’s second claim was false. It is a fact that he properties were taken back in 2015 and 2016 and were included in the 2015 CAFR. It is a proven fact from the verified documents that Clinic paid only $9.6M.

David Anderson owes a retraction and an apology to Lakewood voters.

And it should come before November 8th.

Brian Essi wrote:It has been a week since David anderson made false claims about my article: “State Auditor Report Confirms Cleveland Clinic Paid $9.6 Million, A Fraction Of Hospital Value, For Lakewood Hospital”


David Anderson has offered no evidence to counter any of the facts in my article that was based on verified documents.

Anderson’s First False Claim: “First off, the City of Lakewood did not sell the hospital.”

The Facts: It’s a fact that the hospital was sold to the Clinic—proof comes directly from the State Auditors’ Report, LHA's audited financial statements, the Master Agreement, and the Ohio Secretary of State’s records. The Clinic bought the hospital’s holding company, LHA, including all goodwill and property used in the operation of the hospital. LHA is now a wholly owned subsidiary of the Clinic. The Clinic is operating their ER--it is not ours anymore. The Clinic paid just $9.6M. The only thing they didn’t buy in the sale was the “mothballed” gutted building.

Anderson’s Second False Claim: “Secondly, the 2015 CAFR, which is sited [sic] by Mr. Essi as a base for his false headline, only recorded the cash transactions that occurred on or prior to December 31, 2015. Lakewood did not take back the properties (back on the City’s books from when these went off in 1987) until early 2016.”

The Facts: The State Auditor's Report together with documents from the Zupka CPA that worked for the State Auditor were posted last week and verify what I wrote in my article. Those verified accounting documents confirm that Mr. Anderson’s second claim was false. It is a fact that he properties were taken back in 2015 and 2016 and were included in the 2015 CAFR. It is a proven fact from the verified documents that Clinic paid only $9.6M.

David Anderson owes a retraction and an apology to Lakewood voters.

And it should come before November 8th.

Mr. Anderson,

Can you please retract your false claims and apologize to Lakewood Voters?

We are going on 4 weeks, yet Mr. Anderson seems to have gone dormant on his previously over zealous claim that the City still owns a hospital.

Hmmmm.

Did you really think Mr. Anderson was going to answer you? I believe that the hospital was money laundered away and Mr. Anderson is one of the alleged thieves that helped this happen. Look at the fine upstanding citizens they have listed on their for 64 post card. More alleged crooks, just like they appear to be!

I don't necessarily mind if members of council and other public employees elect not to post on the Observation Deck.

I don't know that I would even mind if they just made an occasional announcement, and didn't participate further. That doesn't seem genuinely unreasonable.

I honestly feel more disappointed with those who pop in to make an announcement, briefly start pushing back against questions and criticism, then withdraw and leave many seemingly valid, fair questions unaddressed… and never come back to respond, even when they repeat the process on some other topic.

It doesn't inspire trust, I'll say that much.

Anderson is an alleged thief just like the rest of them. I would say that the hospital was money laundered away. Don't expect any answers from these alleged thieves and money launders. They appear to be too busy trying to cover their asses for all the corruption they appear to have brought to city hall!

VOTE AGAINST ISSUE 64. I believe it is time to take out the trash at city hall!