CICERO – Senator Martin A. Sandoval (D-Chicago), Co-Chairman of the Illinois Legislative Latino Caucus, this week called for legislative hearings to investigate the trail of racism surrounding the resignation of Illinois Primary Health Care Association (IPHCA) President and CEO Bruce Johnson. 

Johnson resigned Monday, July 16 after he admitted to making racist remarks during a meeting with an IPHCA member organization. Just four days later, six members of the IPHCA’s Executive Committee resigned.

“This isn’t just one incident of a racist comment. This was a sustained campaign of intimidation by not just Bruce Johnson but several members of the executive board,” Sandoval said. “I call for these hearings because we have an obligation to stand up for one another and what is right to ensure that racist conduct—no matter who engages in it—will not be tolerated.”

An official complaint of discrimination against Bruce Johnson and the IPHCA Executive Committee was filed last week by Raul Garza, President and CEO of Aunt Martha’s Health & Wellness. Garza is a U.S.-born citizen and 12-year veteran of the United States Air Force. Johnson allegedly made disparaging comments to Garza about his re-entry into the country after a recent visit to Mexico.

“The executive committee clearly failed in their duty to investigate these disgusting comments and it is disturbing that a handful of IPHCA members are now speaking in defense of the individuals who have rightfully resigned,” Sandoval said. “Their protest reflects poorly on the Association’s entire membership.”

Sandoval said a committee should investigate:

• Why Mr. Johnson was allowed to behave as he did

• Why it took so long for the Executive Committee to conduct an investigation

• Why the Association has not issued an apology for either Johnson’s behavior or its failure to properly investigate the matter

Sandoval said he also plans to file a resolution to conduct an audit of the IPHCA’s adherence to its contracts with the State of Illinois.

“The IPHCA has multiple contracts with the State, and those contracts require the Association to comply with all civil rights laws prohibiting discrimination in any form,” Sandoval said. “We have to send an example that while increasingly common, this type of discourse will no longer be tolerated.”

Minorities drastically underrepresented in state contracts

CHICAGO – In response to the state’s poor record of contracting with women and minorities despite a program specifically designed to do so, a special Senate committee opened a new inquiry Tuesday.

Many public universities, including the University of Illinois, Northern Illinois University, Southern Illinois University and Eastern Illinois University, did not come close to meeting the goal to spend 20 percent of their contract dollars with businesses owned by minorities and females last fiscal year.

State Senator Martin A. Sandoval (D-Chicago), the Special Committee on Supplier Diversity’s  chairman, called the meeting to find out why universities failed to meet the requirements of the Business Enterprise Program, what is being done to make up ground and how the state could better force compliance.

“There’s a lot of work to be done,” Sandoval said. “We have to be accountable to the people we serve and we have to direct our legislative efforts toward pushing state agencies to meet their goals.”

Sandoval said Central Management Services did a poor job of explaining the Business Enterprise Program to the committee, which came to the conclusion that reform is needed.

“CMS had an hour and a half to explain this program to us and they said nothing,” Sandoval said.  “CMS is in charge of this program and it’s kind of like the wolf guarding the henhouse. There is no oversight except from a volunteer council.”

State Senator James Clayborne Jr. (D-Belleville), who has advocated for supplier diversity alongside Sandoval, demanded answers as well.

“For years I’ve been asking why the state can’t include minorities and women and I always get the same excuses: ‘We’re working on it, it’s difficult to do, we already have established relationships with most of our vendors,” Clayborne said. “We need solutions – not excuses – for these failures. We need accountability and creativity to include minorities in state contracts.”

Assistant Majority Leader Kimberly A. Lightford (D-Maywood), a former CMS employee that worked with the BEP, had strong sentiments for CMS and the universities as well.

“You’re not doing a good job in identifying African American and Latino business owners, period,” Lightford said. “There are no deadlines, there’s no accountability. It’s a vicious cycle and it is continually happening throughout the state of Illinois. There are always excuses when it comes to minority vendors. If there is something we could do on the legislative end, please let us know. We will work on it.”   

Sandoval ended the four-hour meeting by informing the universities that he would be visiting their campuses to examine practices and help them find ways to improve on their BEP numbers.