(The Center Square) – Consumers’ Research has a message for Tennessee Republicans accepting political contributions from the Tennessee Hospital Association: stop.
Consumers’ Research is circling mobile billboards outside the state Capitol, calling lawmakers out for taking the THA’s money, given its support for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion initiatives.
Additionally, the organization sent many Republican lawmakers a letter urging them to stop taking the money.
The nonprofit addressed the letter to several Republicans, including Lt. Gov. Randy McNally and House Speaker Cameron Sexton.
“As you are aware, you have accepted financial contributions from the Tennessee Hospital Association (THA), an organization actively promoting radical policies such as Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) and ‘health equity’ through its Council on Inclusion and Health Equity. This council explicitly aims to advance ‘equity of care,'” the letter said.
“One of THA’s prominent member hospitals, VUMC, actively serves on the THA’s Council on Inclusion and Health Equity,” it added. “This is further proof that VUMC is still promoting a political agenda and pushing policies such as DEI, but doing it out of the public eye to avoid consequences.”
The letter also said Consumers’ Research worries that lawmakers accepting THA’s “DEI dollars” may prevent the state from investigating hospitals like the Vanderbilt University Medical Center that have faced criticism for trying to hide their DEI initiatives and for providing gender-affirming care to minors.
Other lawmakers to whom the letter was addressed include state Reps. Gary Hicks, Sabi Kumar and Ryan Williams, plus state Sens. Shane Reeves, Jack Johnson, Ed Jackson, Becky Massey and Ferrell Haile.
The Tennessee Hospital Association’s political action committee (PAC) contributed $707,950 to candidates and political action committees in the state from 2020 to 2024.
“Tennessee representatives who accept DEI Dollars from woke institutions like the Tennessee Hospital Association are putting themselves directly at odds with President Trump,” Consumers’ Research executive director Will Hild said in a statement. “The President was clear: organizations continuing to push discriminatory DEI policies should be investigated. Our campaign asking what Vanderbilt University Medical Center is hiding exposed the hospital system’s frantic and futile attempts to cover its widespread DEI tracks – essentially waving a big red flag asking to be investigated. Consumers’ Research wants to ensure that lawmakers who are accepting these DEI Dollars are aware of the harm these organizations are doing to their consumers.”
Hild told The Center Square that, of all places, Tennessee should lead the way in eliminating DEI as a solidly conservative state.
“It’s especially concerning because if you can’t get rid of DEI in Tennessee, you’re gonna have a really hard time cracking down on it in the rest of the country,” he said.
Additionally, Hild explained why he doesn’t think DEI belongs in medicine.
“In my entire life, I’ve never walked into a doctor’s office and thought about the skin color of the doctor who is going to treat me because they all went to medical school,” he said.
Hild added that DEI is toxic in medicine because everyone should be held to the same rigorous standards to enter the field, and it’s essential that no one ever doubts a medical professional’s qualifications or competence based on their race.
The Tennessee Hospital Association did immediately reply to a request for comment.
