As a legislator, Bill Zedler misused his authority to get the private medical records of numerous patients, all without their consent. As reported in the Texas Tribune, these records contained detailed information on patient treatment, the kind of intimate details that should remain between doctor and patient.
Zedler abused his authority and violated the public trust, and didn't even return the records after he lost his seat in the Texas House. Under Texas law, using confidential information from the Medical Board for non-legislative purposes is a misdemeanor. The offense constitutes official misconduct and carries a fine of up to $1,000 or possible jail time.
In 2007, Bill Zedler intervened in the disciplinary review process of the Texas Medical Board, which licenses Texas doctors, on behalf of five doctors. At least two had been sanctioned for "egregious" treatment violations, including injecting patients with natural gas and jet fuel. Zedler called for an immediate appeal of the sanction against one doctor, and admitted in testimony that he got the Board to drop one case reports the Tribune. The fact that these doctors had been sanctioned and had provided potentially harmful care, did not matter to Bill Zedler.
Of the five doctors that Zedler helped, the Texas Tribune found we know the identities of only two. Neither was a constituent of his district. Both, however, were big donors, having given Zedler a combined $25,000. In fact, health professionals have given Zedler $128,000 over the course of his political life. Since he was so busy standing up for his dubious donor pals, can you really count on him to stand up for you?
