Public Advocate Bill de Blasio filed an amended petition in court today to prevent the shutdown of Long Island College Hospital and hold SUNY accountable for violating the Temporary Restraining Order he secured on Friday. In response, the clerk for Judge Johnny Lee Baynes of the State Supreme Court affirmed to attorneys for the Public Advocate that the Temporary Restraining Order remains in effect and has not been stayed—blocking moves to close L.I.C.H.

Over the weekend, SUNY violated that TRO by transferring patients, refusing admissions, and diverting ambulances. De Blasio’s expanded legal action seeks to stop the New York State Department of Health and SUNY from taking any further action to close the hospital, and seeks sanctions against SUNY for violating the restraining order.

The court will hear the matter later this week.

“This is disgraceful. We have a public entity forcing out patients in the dead of night, in complete violation of a court order. These are people’s lives we are talking about, and they’re being put in jeopardy so real estate interests can get their hands on this property,” said Public Advocate Bill de Blasio. “We have the law on our side. SUNY doesn’t. It needs to be held accountable for what it’s doing to this community.”

Read the Temporary Restraining Order: http://www.advocate.nyc.gov/LICH

(YWN Desk – NYC)