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September 21, 2006

Hospital lawyer says he wasn't told of Celona's legislative role

PROVIDENCE -- A lawyer for Roger Williams Medical Center today testified he was never told state Sen. John A. Celona would look after the hospital’s legislative interests while working as a consultant for the hospital.

Lawyer James R. McGuirk spent the entire day as the sole witness in the corruption trial of former Roger Williams president Robert A. Urciuoli, former hospital vice president Frances P. Driscoll and Peter J. Sangermano, a partner with the hospital in The Village at Elmhurst assisted-living center.

They are accused of stealing the honest services of Celona as a public official and of masking his true work as a legislative operative by putting him on the payroll at The Village of Elmhurst. Celona, now a former state senator from North Providence, has pleaded guilty to selling his office to Roger Williams, CVS and Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island.

On the witness stand, McGuirk detailed his role in writing Celona’s consulting contract and seeking a state Ethics Commission opinion about what matters the senator was prohibited from handling while working as a consultant.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Luis M. Matos asked McGuirk who he believed Celona was working for, based on what Urciuoli and Driscoll had told him. “The Village at Elmhurst,” McGuirk said.

Matos asked McGuirk if he was told Celona was working on legislative issues of interest to the hospital. “No,” McGuirk said.

Matos asked McGuirk if he was told Celona was working “to kill” a bill, the Hospital Conversion Act, which would have scuttled the hospital’s proposed merger with an out-of-state hospital chain, Columbia HCA. McGuirk said, “No.”

Matos asked McGuirk if he was told Celona was working on legislation affecting whether Alzheimer’s units could be placed at assisted-living centers. Again, McGuirk said, “No.”

-- Journal staff writer Edward Fitzpatrick

Posted by Steve Peoples  at 6:50 PM | Permalink

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