Trump, not his doctor, wrote glowing 2015 letter on his health, physician now says

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

Harold Bornstein, who was Donald Trump's personal doctor for decades, acknowledges that his over-the-top statement about Trump's health in 2015 was not written by him — but by the then-presidential candidate.

Bornstein's admission to CNN on Tuesday comes as he also said publicly for the first time to NBC News that Trump's one-time bodyguard and two others "raided" his office in New York last year and took all his medical files on the president.

It was a sudden return to public view for the New York doctor, notable for his shoulder-length hair and round eyeglasses, who first surfaced in December 2015 with his hyperbolic description of Trump's health during the presidential campaign.

Among the key passages in a letter Bornstein provided the news media three years ago: "His physical strength and stamina are extraordinary. If elected, Mr. Trump, I can state unequivocally, will be the healthiest individual ever elected to the presidency."

https://www.yahoo.com/news/trump-not-doctor-wrote-glowing-185736900.html

Surprise surprise.

[ProfessorGAC]

1. Figures

And, this guy has been seen as a quack & buffoon for 4 years.
Why didn't he say this much earlier?
$?

[lagomorph777]

23. Hardly a surprise. All the language in that letter was pure Trump.

I concluded that the second I saw it.

[ProfessorGAC]

29. Yep!

Don't think a doctor would engage in that sort of hyperbole.

[AleksS]

2. Isn't that like fraud or something?

Isn’t that some sort of fraud, especially since it was used to campaign?

[unblock]

10. i don't see how it's actually illegal in any real way.

people are allowed to lie about their health or doctor's visits, and this is sometimes legitimate and important, e.g., for a minor to conceal sexual activity from abusive parents.

generally, the doctor is barred by hipaa (privacy law) from disclosing medical information without a proper release from the patient, and if anything, they probably got him to sign an nda agreeing to *not* disclose anything medical.

he probably would have been free to disclose that he didn't write the letter, but then wouldn't be able to answer any of the obvious follow-ups. the most he could say was that he didn't write it but he can't confirm or deny if it's accurate.


in theory the doctor could sue for damages if his business or reputation was damaged, but it's not clear if that's the case and it might be hard to tie it specifically to the letter. hell, his business probably improved from the publicity.

[genxlib]

15. I doubt it

But in a sane world, it would be treated the same way as if someone lied on their resume.

This information was provided in good faith as part of a job interview. Finding our that it is bogus should have consequences.

Spoiler alert...It won't.

[tinrobot]

25. No, but stealing medical records is illegal.

[PJMcK]

31. Don't medical records belong to the patient?

Granted, most people would just write to their doctor to ask for the records. the doctor would be required to turn them over.

Trump had to make sure his records weren't copied before they were "collected" by his goons. Why do you think that could be?

[tinrobot]

43. The word "raided" does not imply asking nicely for his records.

If they were forcibly removed by the bodyguard, the bodyguard could be liable.

The doctor giving records to a third party could also be a HIPPA violation.

[PJMcK]

44. Fair enough

But who would be he plaintiff? Trump?

After all, it would be his rights that were violated. Do you really thin he would cry foul?

Dr. Bornstein is a bozo.

[Mariana]

40. Whom did he defraud?

Politicians lie all the time during their campaigns. There's nothing to prevent them from doing so.

[Hoyt]

3. Not much of a surprise. Need to check with my right wing doctor acquaintance and see what he thinks.

[Nevilledog]

4. Bwahahaha

This is delicious.

[sarcasmo]

5. David Dennison sang Trump's praises.

[JDC]

6. He signed it. Why? And should he not be held to account as a Dr?

[unblock]

11. did he sign it?

wouldn't surprise me if donnie just lifted the signature from elsewhere.

[JDC]

12. I thought he had, but good point. I should verify.

[JDC]

14. Looks like a signature

[unblock]

16. unless someone can attest to studying the original, it could be a cut and paste job.

[ARPad95]

30. Looks like some idiot just signed it MD...

Hmmm...I wonder who that could have been? <-- a clue

[JDC]

45. It really does, doesn't it. Lol.

[gratuitous]

7. Another indicator of Trump's waning influence

Even his lickspittle toadies (and this garbanzo was one of the first and most prominent) aren't afraid of him anymore. That's not good news for Trump.

[Scurrilous]

47. Yep.

[LisaL]

8. We pretty much knew it back then.

[yellowcanine]

9. To be fair, perhaps John Barron wrote it.

[Mike 03]

13. Or Michael Cohen

[dalton99a]

17. Sarah Sanders called it "standard operating procedure"

Bornstein said the three men included Alan Garten, a top lawyer at the Trump organization who serves as its chief legal officer, and former Trump bodyguard Keith Schiller, who at the time was serving as the White House's director of Oval Office operations. (Schiller resigned from his post in September.)

Along with taking the records, Bornstein said the men asked for him to remove a framed photo he had with Trump, which was hanging in the waiting room of his office.

Bornstein claims he wasn't given a form authorizing the release of the records and called it a "raid." He said they took the only copies of Trump's charts and also records of visits when the president would use a pseudonym, NBC reported.

The White House confirmed Tuesday that its medical unit "took possession of the president’s medical records." White House press secretary Sarah Sanders called it "standard operating procedure."

[Nevilledog]

19. *cough*bullshit*cough*

[lame54]

21. I hope you were wearing a mask when you posted that

[Nevilledog]

22. Fuck

[yardwork]

26. Took the records of visits when Trump would use a pseudonym?

Trump sometimes used a pseudonym when visiting his doctor?

[spanone]

18. trump is among the most fucked up people to walk this earth

[lame54]

20. One of those Rumsfeld Known Unknowns

[Scurrilous]

48. LOL

I loved those...

[dutch777]

24. Not surprising other than the doc's complicity. Hope the Dems address this and tax returns when...

...they win big in November. Every state should require release of tax returns for all major offices for anyone to even get on the primary ballot. And the Dems at Federal level should back this up and add the health records as well. It is extremely important to know who candidates are beholden too and what chronic health issues they have. May have to have some privacy provision for say a woman who miscarried or other things that do not affect longevity and performance in office.

[no_hypocrisy]

27. It was obvious to me. Had all the hallmarks of Trump's lexicon (choice of words)

and sentence cadence.

OTOH, Bornstein could face professional liability from Albany for putting his name on a document that he didn't draft that also wasn't inherently true/valid.

[stillcool]

28. Last year they raided the office?

that's interesting. The Doc sat on it until last year, and then his office gets 'raided', and no more Trump records. Love to know what the good doc has prescribed over the years. I think I've seen this movie, but can't remember the beginning or the end.

[doc03]

32. That was obvious nt

[StarfishSaver]

33. Didn't he say this years ago?

[SoonerPride]

35. yes he did

[pnwmom]

39. Yes. This is supposedly an "updated" version of a 2018 story but I don't see what's new in it. n/t

[unitedwethrive]

34. Gee, I wonder if his height and weight is made up too?

[rickford66]

36. Old news. This was reported quite some time ago. Still should be spread far and wide.

[Buckeyeblue]

37. I bet he has a copy of the records somewhere. I know I would.

[Dave Starsky]

38. Hope this clown doesn't "treat" any Medicare patients.

He just admitted to falsifying medical records. I wonder how many false claims he's filed with insurance companies and other payors.

[moondust]

41. Has the AMA commented?

The "doctor's" "informed silence" may constitute something like aiding and abetting medical fraud which could also bring disrepute on the medical profession.

[RANDYWILDMAN]

42. Shame on that doctor

for giving into a bully.

Wish we had some people with R's behind their names with some backbones

[DSandra]

46. Trump is the biggest monster created from the Reagan Revolution

He is truly a product of this era.

[struggle4progress]

49. "My lab coat is how come you know you I'm a doctor!"

[misanthrope]

50. This is news?

Who didn't know this?