The American Hospital Association (AHA) has suspended contributions to legislators who voted against accepting the results of the Electoral College, the organization said in a statement.
The group did not provide details on exactly which legislators would now be cut off from AHA funding. As of Jan. 18, the association had not returned a request for comment from MedPage Today.
A total of 147 GOP members of Congress voted to overturn the presidential election results: 139 in the House and eight in the Senate.
In the statement, AHA called the January 6 events at the Capitol an “assault on our democracy,” and said it immediately launched a review of its donation practices to “ensure they are guided by our Association’s vision and mission, as well as the democratic values we share as a nation.”
AHA’s board of trustees decides on its political contributions after consulting with the steering committee of its Political Action Committee, along with state hospital association partners and hospital and health system leaders from lawmakers’ states and districts, the organization said.
“Hospitals and health systems have a special role to play as community leaders, healers, and caregivers for our patients and the wider communities we serve,” AHA said in the statement.
In a Jan. 7 blog post, AHA President and CEO Rick Pollack wrote that “peaceful protest is a cherished right and hallmark of our democracy, but vandalism, violence and mob rule have always been out of bounds, and need to stay that way.”
“Throughout our nation’s history, Americans have taken pride in the peaceful transfer of power at the highest level,” Pollack wrote. “It’s part of our precious heritage and distinguishes us from so many other nations of the world. But that gap seems to have narrowed this week and should concern all of us.”
Pollack and AHA called on the country to come together and begin the healing process, particularly as the nation’s COVID-19 crisis worsens.
“With so many critical issues and challenges facing our country, including putting an end to the COVID-19 pandemic and improving our health care system, we must come together now,” Pollack stated.
Last Updated January 19, 2021
Source: MedicalNewsToday.com
