Former President Donald Trump came to the aid of Sen. Roger Marshall on Wednesday, stating that the Kansas Republican was “mandated” to pursue unpaid medical bills from former patients of his OB-GYN practice. The defense comes amid reports that Marshall’s medical office filed lawsuits against more than 700 patients to collect debts, a series of legal actions that resulted in the arrest of 81 women for failing to appear in court.
The collection tactics have sparked a class-action lawsuit alleging that the clinic’s 18% interest rate on outstanding balances may have violated Kansas law. For comparison, a review of 150 other medical providers by The Kansas City Star found that most charge 12% interest. The controversy has emerged as a central issue in Marshall’s re-election bid against Democrat Adam Hamilton, leading the senator to recently circulate a self-produced video defending his record despite opposition from his own campaign staff.
