As much as I’ve discussed Christine LaSala’s reprehensible behavior in handling theWTC Insurance Fund there is a ton of blame to go around when we consider that $1 Billion has been denied to WTC rescue workers who are sick and dying. As I initially stated, the goal of this blog was to raise public outrage to try to get government officials to fire Christine LaSala or, ideally, find a new organization to administer the funds to the WTC rescue workers. But even Mayor Michael Bloomberg has taken to defending Christine LaSala and the manner in which the WTC Insurance Fund is being run. He continues to present such a defense as the heroes who rushed into Ground Zero without hesitation suffer from emphysema, assorted other respiratory problems, and even cancer.

Bloomberg was quoted in a CBS News article about the growing sentiment concerned about Christine LaSala’s management of the $1 Billion. Bloomberg stated “they just don’t know the facts. The truth of the matter is, Congress didn’t set up a victims’ compensation fund," the mayor said. “We’d like them to do that, we’ve asked for that, they set up a captive insurance company. And the insurance company can only pay out monies if somebody sues us in court and wins a judgment against us." Examining what Bloomberg has said is interesting because he is basically endorsing Christine LaSala to use the $1 Billion to defend against lawsuits made by sick WTC rescue workers or the families of those whose loved ones had died. And such a stance by Bloomberg is so appalling as he basically states that the first priority of the money that Congress immediately earmarked for the WTC Insurance Fund was to vet these cases as opposed to helping those that would be in much better health today had they received care when this money was approved as opposed to possibly 2015 when Christine LaSala expects to begin paying from this fund. And, of course, it can’t be mentioned enough that Christine LaSala will be earning $350,000 per year while those who suffer wait.

For Michael Bloomberg to essentially take the stance that WTC rescue workers will only get paid if they beat Christine LaSala’s team of lawyers (lawyers financed by that $1 Billion) in court. And then for Bloomberg to take the stance that “the insurance company can only pay out moneys if somebody sues us in court and wins in judgment against us" is the worst of all. Christine LaSala and the WTC Insurance Fund can pay out whoever they wish. Congress approved this $1 Billion because Americans were horrified by 9/11 and felt for the rescue workers who helped NYC recover. If Christine LaSala began helping those who were suffering without fighting every case in court I highly doubt Congress will be investigating. Instead by fighting the heroic WTC rescue workers and being highly compensated while spending the money on these cases, Christine LaSala and the WTC Insurance Fund are being investigated by Congress.