Pleasant Care Corporation to Have Its Day in Court

Embattled La Cañada Flintridge-based business, Pleasant Care Corporation, was scheduled to begin settlement conferences today (Aug. 4) on a 13-count complaint filed by State Attorney General Bill Lockyer.

In March, the California Department of Health cited Pleasant Care Corp. on suspicion of neglecting patients and violating health codes. Emmanuel I. Bernabe, Pleasant Care Corp. CEO, owns or has interest in more than 30 nursing homes throughout California.

Last month the California Nurses Association along with several elderly organizations and the Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights representatives protested Pleasant Care Corp. home offices in La Cañada. They were there not only to voice their concern about the charges and alleged violations but also to call attention to Bernabe’s financial support of Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.

According to Martin Wilson, executive director for the governor’s California Recovery Team, Bernabe and Pleasant Care Corp. donated $67,2000 to Gov. Schwarzenegger’s controlled campaign committees. The governor’s office is reviewing the allegations against Bernabe. Bernabe met with the protestors assuring them he was looking into the allegations and was certain the matter would be settled. Bernabe along with his director of human resources, Ruben Jauregui, stressed that they had never asked the governor for any favors regarding this or any other matter.