Jeffrey Kraut North Shore-LIJ

After William Rudin's giant scheme to take over St. Vincent's Hospital real estate properties has triggered an investigation by prosecutors, the Rudin Family went to great lengths to make sure that its luxury condominium conversion plan would be fast-tracked, pulling out all the stops.

But new information came to light this week : one top official of North Shore-LIJ hospital system, Jeffrey Kraut, is chair of the committee, which will recommend or deny North Shore-LIJ's application for a Department of Health license to operate a controversial stand-alone Emergency Department.

The Emergency Department is a consolation prize for the loss of a full-service hospital and Level 1 trauma center after St. Vincent's Hospital closed on April 30, 2010. Thus far, Mr. Kraut's actions has not been referred to the Attorney General's office, which oversees the ethics of the State's executive agencies, such as the Department of Health.

Mr. Kraut's conflict of interest in having influence over his own company's financial contracts and government licenses provide fresh evidence about the lack of integrity in the Rudin condo version plan.

In order to build its luxury condos, the Rudin Family encouraged North Shore-LIJ's application for the stand-alone Emergency Department. Because the Rudin condo conversion plan depends on the approval of North Shore-LIJ's application before the Department of Health, community members question Mr. Kraut's influence on other members of the Committee on Establishment and Project Review Meeting and Public Hearing, which will determine the outcome of North Shore-LIJ's permit application.

The information about Mr. Kraut's conflict of interest is another negative blight on the Rudin Family, who have also tried astroturfing, lobbying, and distribution of propaganda by mail. The Rudin Family has also been criticised for opposing freedom of information requests that might be useful in investigations.

Separately, the Department of Health has been criticised for its inaction in saving other hospitals from closure, and for the absence of any investigation or prosecution of individuals, who were involved in the hospital closure crisis.

Rudin Plan Geographical Nightmare

Chief Abdo Nahmod calls Rudin Plan for St. Vincents a ''Geographical Nightmare''

Watch as the community of the Lower West Side of Manhattan confront New York City EMS Chief Abdo Nahmod over the intentional confusion being propounded by Brad Hoylman, the chair of Manhattan Community Board 2, over ambulance "Response Time" and "Transport Time" in the wake of the closing of St. Vincent's Hospital.

Chief Nahmod said that Manhattan CB2 would be providing statistics about ''response time'' versus ''transport time,'' but no such disclosure has been made.

Residents of the Lower West Side believe that Mr. Hoylman is working against replacing St. Vincent's with a full-service hospital with a Level 1 Trauma Center and is, instead, trying to help the billionaire Rudin Family turn St. Vincent's into more and more luxury condominiums for Greenwich Village.

9/11 Tenth Anniversary

September 11 Tenth Anniversary - St. Vincent's Fallen Hero Tribute

On September 11, 2001, the only Level 1 Trauma Center below 14th Street in Manhattan was St. Vincent's Hospital -- it was the hospital that would have treated thousands of people, had there been more survivors. Sadly, many people perished on that awful day. Less than 9 years later, St. Vincent's Hospital was closed, as part of a luxury condo conversion plan by the billioniare Rudin Family.