A Jamaica Hospital official testified Thursday that state Assemblyman William Boyland Jr. received improper compensation for his efforts to secure city council funds for the hospital. The testimony, in emails presented to the jury, also implicated former city councilwoman Tracy Boyland, his sister.
Boyland Jr., part of a prominent political dynasty in Brooklyn, has represented District 55 in the New York State Assembly since 2003. He is the son of William Boyland, who occupied a seat in the New York State Assembly for two decades. His uncle, Thomas S. Boyland, was a member of the Assembly from 1977 to 1982.
At opening statements on Tuesday, the federal prosecutor said Boyland Jr. lobbied for hospital funds in exchange for $175,000 from Brookdale Hospital, a sum disguised as payment for a consulting job from 2006 to 2007. Boyland lobbied on behalf of David Rosen, the former chief executive of MediSys, a nonprofit corporation supporting Brookdale and Jamaica Hospitals, prosecutors say. Rosen was found guilty in a September trial on the charge of bribing public elected officials.
Jamaica Hospital Director of Planning, Ann Corrigan, testified today about an email exchange from 2003, in which Corrigan told Rosen that the number of MediSys clinics serving MedicAid patients was depleting hospital funds. Seeking a way to move funds around, Corrigan asked Rosen in another email if MediSys had “any leeway when a city council person allocated funds to a hospital,” referring to money obtained by the Boylands for the purchase of an additional hospital building.
In the email, Corrigan said she “wasn’t sure if changing the purpose” on these funds “would be allowable.” Rosen’s response referred to “implied obligations to the Boylands” attached to the funding, suggesting that the city council money came at a price, according to prosecutors.
In a letter from 2005 presented by the prosecution, Councilwoman Boyland informed Rosen that 2 million dollars in funding would be awarded to the hospital for the fiscal year. Another document offered by the government shows that Royal Health Care hired Tracy Boyland in 2005. According to the document, Councilwoman Boyland used Rosen as a reference when she applied for the position.
Corporations seeking funding from the city council must make certain disclosures about their personnel and operations on VENDEX forms. One VENDEX question asks if any consultants for the organization have held public official within the past five years.
Corrigan’s testimony also concerned a VENDEX form, reviewed by Corrigan but compiled by Rosen, which failed to mention Councilwoman Boyland’s involvement at Royal Health Care. The form also concealed Boyland Jr.’s consulting position at the hospital, Corrigan said.
Leave a Reply