In September, The New York Times reported that Roger Marshall and his medical practice sued more than 700 of their own patients over unpaid bills, and that at least 81 patients were arrested after missing court dates.

Less than two months later, in the last days of a race he would go on to lose, the Kansas senator recorded his answer.

"My involvement in any patient's account ended the minute it was turned over to an outside agency," Marshall said in a video shot by a film crew he arranged himself. "I never had anyone arrested."

The record says otherwise. According to The Hill's summary of the Times' reporting, about half of the lawsuits were filed in the senator's name, and his lawyers repeatedly requested arrest warrants.

What he said against what the record shows

Marshall's video said his practice "occasionally" handed overdue bills to a collection agency to "keep the lights on." It left a lot out.

• "Occasionally." The number of patients taken to court was more than 700.
• "My involvement ended." About half of those suits were filed in his own name. And the lawyer who handled many of them told the Times that Marshall decided which cases to send to his firm.
• "I never had anyone arrested." At least 81 patients were arrested after missing court, and his lawyers repeatedly requested warrants. That same lawyer said Marshall did not weigh in on the steps the firm took in court, but also set no limits on how far it could go to collect.

Marshall's lawyers have argued that a patient was arrested for missing court, not for missing a payment. But the court date existed because she had been sued over a bill. One woman was taken to court over a $129 charge for a checkup after giving birth.

Marshall also says he and his wife cared for everyone "regardless of their ability to pay," that "we wrote off hundreds of bills monthly," and that "one in every five patients received free care." Even taken at his word, none of that changes what the court filings show. A doctor can forgive some bills and still have his lawyers ask a judge to jail people over others.

The reports on his video don't mention any answer on the 18 percent interest his practice charged. Late last month, a former patient filed a class-action lawsuit saying that rate was above what Kansas law allowed.

His own team tried to stop it

The New York Times reported that Marshall arranged for his own film crew, without the knowledge of at least some top aides. His campaign leaders then moved to block the ad. So he began sending it directly to people outside the campaign, the Times reported. The video's disclaimer still reads "Paid for By Kansans for Marshall." His campaign declined to discuss where it came from, and a spokesman said it wasn't running anywhere as an ad.

A local talk show host posted it on X, Jezebel reports, and more than 1 million people saw it.

His opponent, the Rev. Adam Hamilton, said on NewsNation that Marshall "was desperately trying to explain away something." He added: "The reality is, if you actually check the facts, he's not telling the truth."

On Tuesday, Hamilton became the first Democrat elected to the U.S. Senate from Kansas in 94 years.

The bottom line

Roger Marshall told Kansans that his role ended when a bill went to a collection agency and that he "never had anyone arrested." The New York Times found about half of the more than 700 lawsuits against his patients were filed in his name, that his lawyers repeatedly requested arrest warrants, and that at least 81 patients were arrested. His campaign leaders tried to block the video, and he lost his seat days later.

Source

Hamilton calls Marshall medical debt video 'desperate', The Hill.