In a report released in December, the Minnesota Board of Chiropractic Examiners said it won't ask its executive director to resign because of his response to a rape case involving a former chiropractor.
The report said that longtime executive director Dr. Larry Spicer had accomplished much in his post and would be retained. It also accused Sen. John Marty, DFL-Roseville, of overstepping his authority when he called for Spicer's resignation, and said the board feared retaliation.
"The concern expressed by some is that should the Senator not receive the outcome he wishes, he could then impose such political pressure as to detrimentally impact the board's budget," the report said.
The accusation is unfounded, Marty said, and the report is "unprofessional" because it failed to investigate the issues.
"I can't say enough how disappointed I am," he said.
Marty's concerns involve former chiropractor Paul D. Thompson, who pleaded guilty last year in Ramsey County to raping a client. The board knew for at least 24 years that Thompson had a history of inappropriate sexual contact with female clients and a female employee, but allowed him to practice until he was charged. It revoked his license last year.
The father of Thompson's victim contacted Marty, who wrote Spicer in hopes the board would re-examine its understanding of sexual assault.
Marty said he received an unprofessional letter from Spicer. He then called for Spicer's resignation, concerned that he was so insensitive regarding the Thompson case that he couldn't guide the board to engage in meaningful conversation in order to prevent it from happening again.
