FCLB Warns NBCE and FCLB Board Members Over Lawsuit - Denies Responsibility for Actions & Obvious Conflicts of Interest
The Federation of Chiropractic Licensing Boards (FCLB) sent a letter to FCLB Delegates and state regulatory boards who are supposed "members" of the FCLB denying the allegations leveled against them by Keita Vanterpool, D.C.
CLICK HERE for a copy of the letter
Vanterpool is Vice President of the FCLB and is suing the FCLB, its President Carol J. Winkler, D.C. and Immediate Past President Karlos Boghosian, D.C. alleging racial discrimination after they suspended her from her position at the FCLB.
Stating the "allegations are without merit" and that the FCLB "will continue to vigorously defend itself in the litigation" the letter does not address the accusations of a civil conspiracy to violate Vanterpool's civil rights which she claims were perpetuated by Defendants Winkler and Boghosian.
CLICK HERE for more on that story
The lawsuit reveals highly secretive and problematic relationships between the FCLB, NBCE and state regulatory boards where a great deal of federally backed student loan money is used to conduct their business. So concerning are such relationships that the National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and Integrity (NACIQI) described a "Cartel" operating within the chiropractic profession with "monopoly" control over the entire educational, licensing and regulatory aspects of the profession.
Shockingly, in both the original legal complaint and the motion to dismiss, both parties freely discuss the questionable relationships between these entities and how its members move back and forth between them.
CLICK Here for the Motion to Dismiss
The FCLB and NBCE are both private, non-profit, non-governmental organizations answerable to no one but their self appointed Directors. They cloak themselves in a veneer of legitimacy through their relationships with government controlled state chiropractic regulatory boards all the while using student loan money to fund the bulk of their activities and pay their Directors.
CLICK HERE for more on those stories
CLICK HERE for a copy of the lawsuit
Urging unity and a circle the wagons approach to the allegations, the FCLB letter states "the court of public opinion plays no role in the ultimate disposition of this lawsuit". The FCLB refers to its "member boards" as if a government controlled state regulatory board could actually be a legal "member" of the FCLB - a self selected group of people who attempt to exert control over all United States chiropractic regulatory Boards through their concocted, quasi-governmental status.
Lamenting the obvious media coverage and editorials being written in the chiropractic press, the FCLB paints the defendents as "well intended".
In addition to running the FCLB, Daschner, Winkler and Boghosian all also sit on the Board of the NBCE. In addition, Boghosian sits on the Connecticut State Board of Chiropractic.
The four NBCE directors who resigned were:
- Kimberly Driggers, JD, At Large Director
- Michael Fedorczyk, DC, District II Director
- John McGinnis, DC, District V Director
- Jason Young, DC, At Large Director
“Although the board was unanimous in determining that conflicts of interests exist, the implications of these conflicts was disputed among the directors and, ultimately, divisive,” wrote Norman Ouzts, DC the CEO of NBCE in a letter sent to media outlets about the resignations. The rest of Ouzts' letter is a long winded marketing piece justifying the existence of the NBCE to a profession that has clearly lost its patience with these actions.
All this recent turmoil between the FCLB and NBCE comes only shortly after they heaped praise upon themselves during their mid year meeting in 2020. The love fest between them was so overflowing that the NBCE thanked Karlos Boghosian, FCLB President for all he has done to continue to contribute to the NBCE gushing:
" . . . creating the best working relationship between the FCLB and the NBCE that he has seen".
The letter from the FCLB to its Delegates and "member" boards also issues a clear threat and warning to anyone who speaks out stating its "ill advised" referring to "confidentiality and executive session limitations" imposed on them by their positions.
"Broadcasting resignations, referencing sensitive information, disclosing the existence and length of difficult discussions, and soliciting recipients of these letters to engage in continued dialogue with former members of any board is fraught with peril and must be met with caution."
In a poorly executed attempt to separate itself from the incestuous relationship it has with the NBCE the FCLB letter states:
"FCLB should not and will not interject itself in the policy issues and legal matters of the NBCE. This is especially true in that the NBCE is not a party to the litigation. FCLB will, however, make all efforts to recognize and respect the importance of the relationship between these two vital organizations."
Stating its defenses will be "calculated" the FCLB closes their letter writing:
"Your FCLB Board of Directors looks forward to the resolution to the litigation and preserving the excellent relationship with the NBCE."
Since the FCLB receives the vast majority of its funding from the NBCE's coffers its no wonder the FCLB is most concerned about that relationship.
Strangely, the letter is not signed but does include a list of FCLB Officers and Directors, including Vanterpool, on the letterhead as follows:
Jon Schwartzbauer, D.C. Executive Director
OFFICERS
Carol J. Winkler, D.C. President
Keita Vanterpool, D.C Vice President
Robert Daschner, D.C. Treasurer
Karlos Boghosian, D.C. Immediate Past President
EXECUTIVE BOARD
Lisa Kouzes, D.C. District I Director
Brian McIntyre, D.C. District II Director
George Khoury, D.C. District III Director
Karen Campion, D.C. District IV Director & Board Chair
Beth Ehlich, D.C. District V Director
ADMINISTRATIVE FELLOW DIRECTOR
Beth Kidd
