Congressman James Rogan's latest cable television commercial ("Rogan
gets in first punch," May 16) shown on Charter Communications in
Glendale, claims he is in favor of of HMO reform. Give me a break!
Rogan voted against the bipartisan Norwood-Dingell HMO Patients' Bill
of Rights in Congress. Instead, Rogan has voted for sham HMO reform bills
sponsored by the HMO industry and its lobbyists. Jim Rogan is an HMO
reformer in the same manner that Insurance Commissioner Chuck Quackenbush
has enforced insurance laws in California.
State Sen. Adam Schiff is the real HMO reformer in this congressional
race. It was Sen. Schiff who authored California's successful legislation
giving HMO patients the right to a speedy, independent review of an HMOs
decision to delay or deny treatment.
It was Sen. Schiff who played a crucial role in helping California
enact the most comprehensive and effective HMO Patients' Bill of Rights
in the country.
Rogan won his seat in Congress last time by running as a moderate, and
has since followed the lead of right wing Republicans like Sen. Majority
Leader Trent Lott and Congressional Majority Whip Tom DeLay.
Once again, Jim Rogan has forgotten that he's running as a candidate
of the party of Abraham Lincoln. Once again, his campaign ads cast him as
a moderate, championing issues that make him look more and more like a
Democrat. In fact, Rogan has paid little heed to his constituents, and as
evidenced by our March open primary when Rogan lost to Sen. Schiff,
voters are beginning to wise up. To paraphrase President Lincoln... you
can't keep fooling us all the time, House Manager Rogan. State Sen. Adam
Schiff is the only real Democrat running for Congress in the 27th
Congressional District this November, and the voters know him as a
legislator who has consistently paid attention to their needs while
serving them in the State Senate in Sacramento.
Garry Willis
Los Angeles
