Schuitmaker wants abortion doc hearing

LANSING, Mich. (WOOD) - A member of the state Senate Health Policy Committee says she will ask for a hearing to investigate why the former chairman of the state Board of Medicine closed out a complaint against a Muskegon abortion doctor despite their past professional relationship.

"This is not about pro-life or pro-choice, this is about women's safety," said Sen. Tonya Schuitmaker (R-Lawton) in response to a Target 8 investigation.

Target 8 found that Dr. George Shade Jr., the then-chairman of the state Board of Medicine, closed out a written complaint against Dr. Robert Alexander in 2010 without an investigation.

"It is extremely troubling that any person, regardless of whether they sit on any regulatory committee, would have this kind of power to really put the public at jeopardy," Schuitmaker said.

The complaint filed in 2009 alleged that Alexander had botched two abortions at his clinic in Muskegon, putting the women's lives at risk.

About a decade before closing that complaint, the board chair played a key role in helping Alexander's transition from federal prison back into medicine.

"Clearly there was an abuse of power here," Schuitmaker said.

State records show Shade had helped Alexander regain his revoked medical license back in 1998 after Alexander got out of prison for selling illegal prescriptions, writing a letter on his behalf and supervising him at a clinic.

It was at Woman's Medical Services in Muskegon that Sheria McCloud says she went to Alexander for an abortion in 2009. According to the complaint, five weeks later she learned she was still pregnant -- 30 weeks along. Her son, Jeremiah, is now 3.

McCloud's OB-GYN Dr. Michael Engel filed that complaint with the state against Alexander, saying Alexander could have killed her. The complaint also included allegations of a second botched abortion.

Dr. Shade reviewed the complaint and marked "No investigation needed."

Shade told Target 8 he followed the appropriate process, but he hung up when pressed on the potential conflict of interest.

Schuitmaker, a former member of the Board of Medicine, wants to know whether the state can re-open the original complaint.

"If there is any possibility, I think it's incumbent upon the state Board of Medicine to really examine it and go back and understand where they failed."

What's not clear is what Dr. Alexander is doing now.

The City of Muskegon shut down his clinic after finding what it called unsafe and unsanitary conditions after a reported break-in there in December.

In a telephone interview, Alexander told Target 8 he would not reopen his Muskegon clinic. He said he is no longer working. However, he hasn't returned recent calls.

Target 8 checked a Detroit abortion clinic where an anti-abortion group claimed he was working.

"He was working here, but he doesn't anymore," a woman at the front desk said.

State records show Alexander was the owner of AA Abortion Advice & Aid Clinic, also known as AA Women's Choice, in Ypsilanti as far back as 2004. His former neighbor said Alexander closed the clinic about two years ago.

It's not clear why the Ypsilanti clinic closed, but one neighbor gave us his opinion.

"It was kind of dirty," said Jacobie Phelps, who runs a barbershop next door. "Real dirty."

Phelps said he's glad it closed, not because he's against abortion, but because the pro-life protesters were bad for business.

The barber said he visited Alexander's Ypsilanti clinic a couple times.

"He had kind of like blood on the carpet, like in the reception area," Phelps said. "He never did clean up."

Target 8 tried to reach him several times at his Plainwell home, but got no answer at the door.

The City of Muskegon had sent a list of violations at Alexander's now-closed clinic to a home in Detroit. It's an old, boarded-up brownstone which neighbors said has been vacant for years. The owner told Target 8 he's never heard of Alexander.