Brooks addresses bankruptcy questions

COEUR d'ALENE — Kootenai County Commissioner Candidate Bill Brooks on Monday responded to questions swirling about his two bankruptcies.

Some of those questions and criticism are coming from an organization called Republican Liberty Caucus.

Brooks, who is challenging fellow Republican Marc Eberlein for the District 1 seat in the May 15 primary, filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy nearly 30 years ago and again three years ago.

The first case, he said, was the result of a bad marriage in which his ex-wife was the tax preparer.

"Our tax forms were prepared by her, and I just signed them," Brooks said. "Unbeknownst to me, she filed hers and not mine."

Brooks said that under the advice of his attorney, he paid $5,000 and agreed to file for bankruptcy to have his name discharged. He said he wasn't hiding assets.

"If you're hiding assets during a bankruptcy, that's a felony and you can go to prison," he said. "My attorney and I agreed that (filing for bankruptcy) was the only way out."

Brooks said his second bankruptcy case occurred as a result of about $500,000 in medical bills that piled up while treating Agent Orange cancer he had from serving during the Vietnam War. Brooks provided The Press documentation that he had Agent Orange cancer from the herbicide during the war and that he served with the Army Security Agency.

Brooks's disability rating with Veterans Affairs is 30 percent, but he chose to be treated using private insurance rather than through the VA because the former allowed for better treatment for his rare form of cancer. Further, he could be part of a study group at a Seattle facility.

"We had our own insurance policy that we paid for, but there were a lot of (exams and other medical requirements) that were not covered," he said, citing medications and scans.

Brooks said he had to choose whether to use his private insurance or go through the VA, but couldn't use both programs

The most recent bankruptcy remains on Brooks's credit report because it's been less than 10 years.

Brooks said he tried to pay for his medical debt with credit cards — which he said was "an incredibly bad idea."

"I wanted people to understand this," Brooks said. "That's why I've written about this in The Press multiple times. I'm not (hiding) my bankruptcies. If I was, I wouldn't have put it on the front page. They're public information."

For instance, on Jan. 11 Brooks wrote: “A few years ago, due to “terminal cancer” (from Agent Orange exposure), I incurred well over a million dollars in medical treatment and care, not covered by my insurance policy. (My policy paid almost a million dollars in one year.) I did beat the odds, and the cancer. However, due to the crushing debt and interest on the debt, and my creditors’ unwillingness to help me work out a payment plan, my wife and I were forced to declare Chapter 7 bankruptcy.”

Brooks said medical providers are more likely to work with citizens on debt than credit card companies, which also charge higher interest rates.

Brooks provided proof that his credit score is now "good" and above 700.

"It shows that I'm paying my bills," said Brooks, who owns a real estate firm and is an insurance adjuster and a volunteer mediator for the Kootenai County Association of Realtors.

Brooks said he is appealing to the VA to receive 100 percent disability. However, he said he believes he's healthy enough to serve in public office and regularly works out on his recumbent tricycle.

"I'm in top-notch shape for a person as banged up as I've been," he said.

In both bankruptcy cases, Brooks said the filings were not the result of irresponsible acts.

"The circumstance 30 years ago was due to a malicious ex-wife and bad divorce," he said. "The second case was that I got cancer while serving my country. Should I feel bad about that? Medical bankruptcies are not uncommon."

Brooks said if he would have been irresponsible, that would be a good reason to criticize him for running for county commissioner, but he doesn't believe that's the case.

"The bankruptcies have no relevance whether I'd be a good county commissioner," he said.

Brooks said he doesn't believe inquiries about his bankruptcies are a search for the truth but are "gotcha" attacks a week before the election.

"They've had access to this public information for five months," he said.

Brooks said he's been an open-book candidate and even offered the idea of one-on-one debate with Eberlein multiple times. He said he's never brought up his bankruptcies during forums because the events have short time allowances for each candidate to speak and the questions have pertained to specific topics.