Why is Joseph Matthews Beating Up on Dedicated Community Member Claudia Swain?
When It Doesn't Go His Way, He Will Sacrifice Anyone - Including Those Who Have Supported Him
By:
Steven Fera, M.D.
Eve Tucker Keenan, RN (Former Board of Trustees Chairman)
John Wardle (Former Board of Trustees Member)
Chris VanHemelrijck, M.D.
Roger Ashley, M.D.
Dennis Lynch (former Board of Trustees Chairman)
We stand with Save South County Hospital in recognizing Claudia Swain’s exceptional contributions to our region. South County is stronger today because of her vision, leadership, and ability to mobilize support for causes that matter. Any organization would be fortunate to have her skills—and should value them.
That’s what makes South County Hospital’s lawsuit against her so baffling. The claim that she violated never-existing agreements defies facts and logic. Board Chairman Joseph Matthews and the other Board of Trustees members know Claudia’s worth. Perhaps that’s exactly what they now seek to suppress.
Suing someone who helped secure hospital donations is a strange way to show appreciation—and even stranger if Matthews and the Board of Trustees still valued her. When it doesn't go his and their way, he and they sacrifice anyone, including those who have helped them in the past. This lawsuit is baseless. We commend Claudia for standing firm in the face of Matthews and Chief Executive Officer and hospital President Aaron Robinson behaving more like bullies than stewards of a community institution.
In addition, one also has to wonder just how South County Hospital, Matthews and the Board of Trustees are funding outside and expensive additional legal counsel to pursue this false allegation against Claudia???
They have publicly reported that the hospital is losing money.
Is the money from operating revenue? Are they raiding past community donations? Both sources are meant to strengthen local care, not legal expenses against dedicated community members.
If so, that’s not budgeting—it’s betrayal. Either way, it is also money misspent.
