This relates back to the “heads up” post I put up last night. Go to the link, the snips just don’t do this story justice.
http://www.kare11.com/news/news-article.asp?NEWS_ID=50089<snip>
A top apointee of Governor Pawlenty is being questioned for his actions early in the administration.
KARE-11 news has found an apparent secret pact made by Commissioner of Commerce Glenn Wilson and an insurance company accused of preying on seniors.
The story centers on an investigation of United American Insurance launched during the Ventura administration. The Commerce Department, then led by Jim Bernstein, filed a complaint alleging that United American agents told Minnesota seniors that Medicare was changing — in some cases even running out.
Enter a new commerce commissioner and suddenly a new agreement with United American. In this one, the company is now allowed to avoid a penalty fine. The agreement also includes a secrecy clause that is unprecedented. It says that not only will the consent order be hidden from the media — everyone agrees to conceal it from state and federal regulators including the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC).
The order is signed by commissioner Glenn Wilson.
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The article goes on to say that Wilson is claiming he signed the agreement on the advice of the Attorney General’s office (in other words, the old Republican “It’s not my fault” defense). The AG’s office says they told Wilson’s people to take the secrecy clause out. Given Mike Hatch’s track record with insurance companies – especially health insurance companies, who are you going to believe?
And, this case does not relate to the earlier one where the Pawlenty adminstration lowered the fine levied against another company that had contributed heavily to Pawlenty's campaign.