Editor’s note: we received this letter in response to our story on State Sen. Katie Muth’s remarks concerning state Health Secretary Rachel Levine.
To the Editors,
My name is Ian Horowitz and my father was one of the 66 veterans who were killed at Southeastern Veterans Center in April/May of 2020 from extreme negligence under the reign of Rohan Blackwood, Debbie Mullane and others.
I’m writing to you demanding an apology to the family members whose loved ones died in 2020 as well as the employees at SEVC who were terrorized by Rohan and Mullane. I always believed your publication was one that supported our veterans, not the individuals who committed negligence against them. Your verbal assault of State Senator Muth was completely inappropriate and filled with misinformation and lies by Weller, Blackwood, Mullane and others.
Senator Muth was pulled into the mess at SEVC when staff started reaching out to her as well as me, after I started a private Facebook page to bring together family members and staff of SEVC in April of 2020 to learn what was really happening within the building, and employees had someone to communicate with on the outside. Dozens of staff, nurses and others started calling both the Senator and me to share their horror stories. Most of them were in tears while speaking with us because of their love for our veterans.
They shared more than just the deaths. They shared stories of Rohan, Debbie and others covering up sexual assaults, misappropriation of funds and countless other disgusting stories of abuse towards our Veterans. If you haven’t read the entire Independent Special Investigation report by Morgan, Lewis & Bockius, for Governor Wolf on Dec. 29, 2020, I’m happy to send it to you.
If you want someone to verbally attack, it should be Attorney General Josh Shapiro! I and all the family members are incredibly frustrated with Shapiro and haven’t slept in almost three years and will continue to make noise until his office does their job and people like Rohan Blackwood, Debbie Mullane and others are held accountable for negligence.
Our veterans deserved better! My father deserved better!
Ian Horowitz
And you also have a lawsuit pending against said people.
https://dockets.justia.com/docket/pennsylvania/paedce/2:2020cv06369/579625
https://www.pressreader.com/usa/daily-local-news-west-chester-pa/20201228/281496458897887
Hi Lady Jane,
We recently settled the lawsuit with the firm representing the PA DMVA, Rohan Blackwood and Debbie Mullane. Unfortunately, it was a lame settlement for 10 of the families because the state hides behind their $1M immunity cap legislation passed in the 70s. Here we are 40yrs later and the same immunity cap is in place, which is a disgrace considering $1M in the 70s is worth over $4M today. The PA DMVA has never issued an apology and still takes zero responsibility in causing the deaths of our Veterans. How the state and the DOH allow Rohan Blackwood to have a license to work in an facility where Veterans or Sr Citizens are living is mind boggling and dangerous. How many more people have to die?
Mr. Horowitz,
With all due respect and sensitivity to what you have been through, you missed the point that Senator Muth is a disgusting and vile human being who stated she would do anything to promote herself. She did nothing to support staff in changing the situation at SEVC, while terrorizing her own staff – leading to astronomically high staff turnover rate. 3x what the next highest staff turnover was.
Her record and reputation within Democratic and Republican circles reflects that she has disrespected our Commonwealth’s Constitution and the Senate Floor by breaking the rules to create media buzz – acts that threaten the foundation of our democracy.
I hope B&L plan on digging into the issues exposed via the transcript of the article, but you miss the point of hypocrisy and narcissism overflowing from Senator Muth.
Your efforts to support her and spin that story are a distraction and you should be aware you are being used.
Mr Mastriano,
When the atrocities began taking place at Southeastern Veterans Center and scores of our Veterans began dying, I reached out to you and your office many times for help only to be ghosted. I felt you were part of the systematic problem in PA, of state officials looking the other way. I understand having political differences with State Senator Muth but again, she was the only person, I repeat, the only offical in PA to give a damn about our Veterans and their deaths in SEVC. 238 residents lived in that building and 103 of them died in 2020, with 66 alone in April/May including my Father, a United States Army Veteran.
How odd that you’re publishing this now. Is broad and liberty really concerned about veterans or just trying to pump out another political hit piece right before an election? Maybe they can write a piece about what Trump and his banana republican lackeys did to the VA last time they were in charge? I won’t hold my breath.
Dude, you hate every story on this site, why do you even come here? It’s masochistic.
Here you go LAZY…
TDS is very real for you! Take two red pills, and stay away from FAKE news.
https://www.moaa.org/Content/Take-Action/Top-Issues/Currently-Serving/Trump-Signs-MISSION-Act-Reforming-VA-Health-Care