By Associated Press - Houston Chronicle - June 22, 2007
DALLAS — A Fort Worth-area physician twice recognized by the Texas House of Representatives as its "Doctor of the Day" is a registered sex offender, according to a broadcast report.
"I don't like the idea that I introduced a sex offender," Rep. Leo Berman, R-Tyler, told Dallas-Fort Worth television station KTVT. Berman introduced Dr. Nilon Tallant to the House on Jan. 12.
"He should have told whoever selected him to be the doctor of the day that he is a registered sex offender and not try to appear before the Texas House of Representatives and make himself look legitimate before the entire state," Berman said.
Tallant was one of 90 doctors who volunteered for the Physician of the Day program run by the Texas Academy of Family Physicians in the last session.
Physicians who participate in the program treat patients at the Capitol for the day, including visitors, legislators, their families and staff members.
Republican Rep. Phil King of Weatherford was to have introduced Tallant, as he had in 2006. But he was away from the floor and Berman happened to be standing near the podium when House Speaker Tom Craddick called for the introduction, the station reported.
Tallant was indicted on 19 counts of sexual performance by a child in 1996, the television station reported, citing Hays County court records. The victim was a 17-year-old female patient of the doctor, who was then 64 and practiced in San Marcos. Tallant pleaded guilty to a second-degree felony and was given 10 years' probation. He also lost his medical license for four years, the station reported.Republican Rep. Jerry Madden of Plano told KTVT that he received a complaint about Tallant's criminal record from the Council on Sex Offender Treatment shortly after the 2006 Doctor of the Day appearance. Madden said he told House officials, but the Texas Academy of Family Physicians says it was not told of Tallant's sex offender record. It said he would not have been invited to participate in 2007 if the academy had known about the record.
"It's horrendous and I want to make sure that this never happens again," Berman said. "I'm sure now we will have a close check on not only who comes in as the doctor of day but also as our chaplain of the day."
A telephone call placed by The Associated Press to a number listed for Tallant went unanswered late Thursday.
Tom Banning, with the physicians academy, said doctors for the program are screened on the Texas Medical Board's Web site.
KTVT reported that Tallant's online physician profile didn't reflect a criminal history and that Tallant did not disclose his criminal record to the board for the past three years, according to records it obtained under the Texas Public Information Act.
Banning said the Academy regretted that Tallant served as Physician of the Day and blamed the Legislature for holes in information because it has "historically starved down the Medical Board by diverting physician licensure fees to state general revenue. The TAFP supports using physician licensure for the purpose for which they are collected, to fully fund the Texas Medical Board so that it can carry out its mandate to protect the public safety."
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