Patrick Remains Mum On Exec's Golden Parachute
BOSTON (AP) - Gov. Deval Patrick has again declined to criticize Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Massachusetts over a hefty severance payment to its former CEO, telling reporters his job isn't "managing individual companies or individual compensations."
Patrick did say during a sometimes testy exchange with reporters Friday that he isn't condoning Blue Cross' judgments. But he said he's focusing on legislation to control spiraling premiums.
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Patrick was questioned for a second day about the $11 million severance and compensation package for Cleve Killingsworth, who resigned from Blue Cross last March after five years as chief executive.
Republicans have taken Patrick to task for remaining silent on Killingsworth after his campaign last year criticized the $1.7 million salary his GOP challenger, Charles Baker, earned while CEO of Harvard Pilgrim Health Care.
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