Calling all cars — runaway judge on the loose.
As in Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Johnny Lee Baynes. At issue is the continuing saga of Long Island College Hospital, a bankrupt facility that remains at full staff levels because Judge Baynes has so ordered, even though it’s bleeding SUNY $13 million a month to do so.
Thursday is the deadline for a deal. In theory, if none is reached, SUNY will finally be free to shut it down. Unfortunately, another last-minute intervention by this overreaching judge has elevated an already chaotic situation into sheer pandemonium.
Under Judge Baynes’ latest lunacy, SUNY is to negotiate with three competing bidders simultaneously — and involve local community groups and unions in the process. What the activists want, and what Judge Baynes seems determined to give them, is a process that will guarantee LICH remains a full-service hospital in place.
The activists are back in court because even though the previous bidding process was heavily rigged in their favor, it didn’t produce the result they wanted. So once again they are banking on Judge Baynes to come to the rescue. The hope is he will throw out the scoring agreement he’d approved and order SUNY to negotiate with a lower-ranging bidder who will promise a full-service hospital.
Here’s the bottom line: A full-service hospital simply is not viable.
That’s why LICH is bankrupt. That’s why bids for a full-service hospital are not coming in. And that’s why in any other world but Judge Bayne’s courtroom, this circus would long ago have been shut down.