Is Cincinnati VA The Next ‘Tomah’ Scandal?
Shocking allegations have come out of Cincinnati VA after almost three dozen whistleblowers came forward confirming misconduct akin to Tomah VA in Wisconsin.
The irony here is that Cincinnati VA is right in the backyard of VA Secretary Bob McDonald. Whistleblowers at Cincinnati VA say veterans are not are not getting the care they need right in McDonald’s backyard.
Reporters at Scripps have fielded reports from numerous whistleblowers including 18 doctors across the facility. Reports indicate concerns that a pattern of cost-cutting has forced out experienced surgeons, reduced access to care and put veterans at risk. Dr. Barbara Temeck, acting chief of staff, and VISN director Jack Hetrick are at the center of the scandal. Allegations include prescribing controlled substances without a license to Hetrick’s wife.
CINCINNATI VA ALLEGATIONS
One whistleblower, Dr. Richard Freiberg, former chief of orthopedics, had this to say about the state of disorder at the facility:
“We were serving veterans with almost every imaginable problem and doing state-of-the-art car. Now, we’re unable to care for almost all of them.”
A statement like that will certainly make a person stop and think, right?
One big problem is Dr. Temeck gaming the system. She earns $137,191 for her work as chief of staff. She earns an additional $194,343 as a cardiothoracic surgeon. Dr. Freiberg said it is common knowledge that she is gaming the system especially since she rarely if ever functions as a cardiothoracic surgeon.
Dr. Temeck is also accused of penny pinching when it comes to contaminated surgical instruments. Mike Brooks, CRNA, another whistleblower, said he has seen shocking disregard for safety, “I’ve seen surgical instruments that once we open the sterile pack, they will have pieces of debris, possibly bone or other debris from previous surgeries still on the instrumentation.” Dr. Temeck told surgeons to stop complaining.
Dr. Temeck also cut around the clock staffing for airway specialists in the emergency department to save money. Can you imagine an emergency department without someone able to help with emergency breathing?
Elderly veterans like Tom Dickey, a 72-year-old Vietnam veterans was denied a replacement hip last year. Instead of providing the procedure, VA staff told him they no longer do the surgeries and gave him a referral.
Services to veterans across the board have been reduced. Veterans needed spine and orthopedic services do not get them.
Making matters like Tomah, Dr. Temeck was caught prescribing controlled substances like hydrocodone and Valium without a license. She was apparently conducting favors for her boss’ wife to prescribe controlled substances without a license.
On the surface, it looks like there are three issues going on. The chief of staff is cutting corners and putting veterans’ lives at risk. She is also double dipping her pay. Then, she is unlawfully prescribing controlled substances to her boss’ wife.
IS CINCINNATI NEW VA MODEL?
Is this the new VA we were all promised? While I get that many veterans bemoan the lack of care they are now receiving from Cincinnati VA, perhaps being referred into the community for surgical procedures is the right move.
Veterans harmed as a result of a surgery sometimes have a hard time fighting for justice later. Many attorneys are not familiar with the administrative claims process at the beginning of the FTCA process. They further refuse to work for the restrictive fees allowed under FTCA. Instead, most law firms only accept claims against civilian doctors who commit malpractice.
Like it or now, your access to justice is severely limited when seeking VA healthcare. Maybe it’s time we throw out the baby with the bathwater to fight against derelict administrators like Dr. Temeck.
What do you think about this one?
from idonno.
I think we should use more micronums in our messeges. then we cant understand nothing. I am a 8th grade failure. joined the army at 17yrs and 3months. going down hill like a snowball headed for hell, usa. yea icons.
The two books that every vet should read are. Team of teams by General McChrystal [remember him] and Wages of Rebellion by Chris Hedges. Thomas Paine is always a good read. As with Mr Paine every generation must decide what America should be then act on it!!!! act on it. I blame my generation for what is going on, my generation. our fathers did there job us vets did our jobs.except act on it we talk a good game that;s all AND JUSTICE FOR ALL EXCEPT IF YOU ARE A VET.
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/va-suicide-hotline-calls-went-to-voicemail-report-finds/
VA Voicemail Suicide Hotlines? We need Ben to check this one out. Someone is licking their chops with that cost saver! Edge them towards suicide and then put them on hold: good job.
I hope they are washing their hands after masturbating if they are surgeons.
Coincidentally, that Cincinnati AMC has had the highest rates of rampant MRSA Infections, and was in another article linked. I know MRSA is something that haunts many medical environments but it’s at a much higher prevalence in the VA health System than anywhere else….but Cincinnati VAMC tops them all.
So I am thinking the washing of hands were completely optional since the very surgical tools were not properly sanitized in autoclaves there….yuck!
Until they exercise jurisprudence there will be no fix just patches.
The more stuff like this I read about, the more I wish about….I wish I weren’t an old ass disabled veteran. I wish I would’ve never come back here. I wish that I had never volunteered for Viet-Nam. I wish I had never joined the military. I wish that I had turned my back on my country and hauled my butt off to Canada. I wish, and I wish, but none of it ever comes true!
@Dennis
Don’t ever give up or “Stand Down! It ain’t in our nature!
I’m also a “disabled veteran”! Spent lots of years in two militaries. First Army – went to nam. Then Navy – helped in the “evac of civilians hostages by Hezbollah in 1976”.
We took an oath to protect the Constitution and Bill of Rights against ALL ENEMIES FOREIGN AND DOMESTIC!
I believe we’re still obligated to that oath.
Agree
Dennis.if no one has told You Thanks or welcome home. Your being told now welcome home and thanks. You do matter to all of us and remember that.
I still want to know;
WHERE IN THE HELL DID ALL THOSE BILLIONS OF DOLLARS GO!
An “outside (auditing) firm”, coupled with prosecuting attorneys and a few judges thrown in for good measure to “sign the warrents and subpoenas”, needs to go through every damn VAMC & VARO nationwide, and “follow and find the money trail”!
IF there is any “corruption, graft, waste, fraud and/or abuse”, arrest, indict and prosecute each and everyone involved – PERIOD!
“We the People” are getting pretty damned pi$$ed at what’s going on, (Corruption, Graft, Waste, Fraud and Abuse), in just about every government agency there is!
Sorry ’bout this rant. Yet, WHAT the HELL is going on? When will there be “Justice for Veterans?” When will the people wake the Fμ€K UP and do something? We hear almost daily from great resources, not the Liberal Main Stream Medias, how veterans are dying from egregious acts committed by VA employees against veterans, yet NOTHING happens to them, WHY?
Yeah, it made me wonder when like in this article’s case, many medical professionals jumped the VA ship, if the VA simply leaves such “budgets on the books as active”, hence, exactly why and how this VA Doctor and Director was able to “double dip”…I am betting at some point in doing backtracking and following the money you will find at some point the VA “lost or fired” a surgeon, then simply management allocated THAT salary onto their own…and I wonder how widespread this is?
Of course, that’s only a hypothesis, but one does not have to be daft to realize, as you have said, that following the money trail would be like shining bright spotlights on a million bats in a dark cave.
With the VA keeping so many medical personnel in duplicate locations on the books, even a great private accounting firm would probably be found after the fact sitting in middle of file-strewn floor, rocking back and forth crying mommy over and over 🙂
@namnibor
This is what a few, actually a lot of people, are saying on Facebook and Twitter.
MANY believe IF Mr. Trump wins the primary and then is elected President. He will not only install people who can and will “go through the books!”
Why do I say this? Because he’s more than just “implied” it at his rallies and on the debate stages! He’s stated, infatically, how there IS widespread “waste, fraud and abuse” in almost every government agency!
I believe, IF he’s elected, there will be a massive exodus from a lot of agencies! Lots of people will try to retire. But, it won’t do them much good, especially when law enforcement is hot on their tail.
There’s been lots of talk to try to “bring Trump down!” Only the reverse is happening! He’s getting stronger.
I believe, as others do, there will be an attempt on his life. God forbide they succeed! If that occurs, all hell WILL break loose in this country. I’ve asked this before. Now, I’m asking it again! Get a copy of “Common Sense” by Thomas Paine. Read it. See the stark similarities from then until now!
Also, if you can, get the DVD of “Sons of Liberty!” It’s a telling of the Who, What How and Why America decided to be “Independent!”
Your not ranting.your mad and all the rest of us are mad continue on.
On the bright side look at the effort these front line direct care providers made taking a stand for the vets they serve. They risked their own careers for my fellow vets. A big thank you to them! The saddest part is despite the number and credibility of the whistle blowers, nobody in the upper eschelons of the VA would listen forcing them to go to the press. Don’t let congressmen fool you either. They were notified but took no initiative to respond until it became a media story. Now they’ll act like they are standing up for the vets rather than turning their backs when the cameras weren’t on them.
PENDEJO VETS CONGRESS WILL DO NOTHING NOR WILL VETS DO NOTHING VETS YO ARE SO SCREWED BY VA DEATHCARE FROM SATANIC HELL !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
VA DEATHCARE ONE BIG INSANE ASYLUM RUN BY AFGE UNION CONTRACTS FROM HELL VETS YO DESERVE THIS DEATHCARE FROM HELL LAZY VETS YO WILL DO NOTHING !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
if your an employee and post comments on a va webpage bringing up safety issues and concerns for veteran care, the nursing office gives you a reprimand for telling the truth. hmm, kames ya think! COVER UP
I applaud all those who came forward and blew the whistle on this BS. I believe this denial or restriction of services is happening at many VAs, which is ridiculous given their budget.
Before ANY veteran is denied care, at a minimum the VA cash awards budget needs to be zeroed out.
I bet many VA employees will be watching these whistle blowers closely to see if they face retaliation. If they dont, I bet the floodgates open and the VA will be overwhelmed with complaints. A certain AFGE head union thug should be encouraging this, and should be standing against violations of whistle blower laws rather than running his mouth about Congress.
As for referrals to the community, that is a dangerous path to go down Ben WITHOUT serious improvements in oversight in the Choice program, and without a process for veterans to get Choice to do their jobs. The VA will tell you they consider HealthNet to be a third party payer, like insurance. The problem is, there is zero oversight, and nobody to complain to when HealthNet/Triwest/Choice refuses to do their jobs. With private insurance, every state has an insurance commissioner overseeing the insurance offered in that state. They also have a process a consumer can follow to get their complaints resolved over that insurer not doing their jobs. With Choice, there is no commissioner, and the VA could care less about whether you are getting care since you have been referred. It does not matter to the VA when you might get care, and Choice does not care because they know there is nothing a veteran can do about delays.
I have been referred to Choice because the VA does not have a neurosurgeon. I have called Choice repeatedly since that referral was made over 40 days ago, and the last 4 phone calls I have gotten the exact same excuse…that they will send my information to their appointing team. I have written my Senator, and will be providing everything to the GAO for their investigation, but that does nothing for me to get this appointment. I asked for a supervisor yesterday, and I was told they were all busy, but they would call me back. I am still waiting for that call.
I see many others on VA is Lying reporting they are being billed by providers, some for many thousands of dollars, or having those bills turned over to collection agencies because Choice takes so long to pay the bill.
A referral to the community is not the answer without some serious improvements in that process.
Yes a total revamping of the system.everything has to be done from scratch to insure the right people are running the VA and very tight regulations to insure they are doing The right thing and if their not fire the whole company.
I know I don’t know all the answers.but there are people that knows how to run a business and know if employees are not following instructions to the tee.they would fire that employee.
The VA is not doing this.they have become corrupt and cover up for each other. If an employee does something wrong and someone is found to be covering it up and the employee is found guilty.
Any employee helping cover it up.would receive the same outcome as the employee doing wrong.
Bottom line hold employees accountable and employees breaking the rules.be fired or arrested by federal authorities.
The OIG must stop assisting the VA and just do their jobs and report the facts and that’s all.
Any questions about the OIG not furnishing the truth and nothing but the truth should be arrested for deraliction of duty and fired or charges placed on that employee.
Many things have to be done and we have some educated people who can set up a complete origination.to many manager’s don’t know what their doing except making their boss happy.
Some director’s have no business running a hospital and some are just a figure and other people are running the show.
FYI. NOT every health care organization is covered by the DOI. as I found out, kaiser a monolithic HMO & a teaching hospital is not under the CA DOI & you ought to see what they do to THEIR whistle blowing employees who are also patients!?!. Broke & Broken or dead via lack of medical care or deliberate malicious medical malpractice. kaiser is under the DEPT. of Corporations so there is no oversight whatsoever. NADA!
Now they are going to get a medical school in L.A. run by minorities. OMG! Many of their admin & other docs are from other countries already. AND you should see what they do TO their patients?!?! Manslaughter is way too soft of a word here. Buyer Beware.
Medical care is a business and patients are called consumers, not patients, it’s been going on since kaiser went to Nixon in the early 70’s, Now, it’s all of the way with medical care of today. Quantity over quality. Money is always the only goal. The VA too is into saving money at any cost ( our vets lives & health) and who gets the credit? Follow the money.
Careful, you’ll be called a racist for mentioning some major issues with the VA or daring to mention things like foreigners here on visas or the minority words. Such things are not compatible with the unions or special interest groups that just want high pay and positions…minus the professionalism it takes to care for others. No oath keepers in Indiana that I have found.
Indiana should be deeply investigated but it won’t happen. The entire state is and has been totally corrupt and deny any wrong doing or negativity on any level or issue. Heck, here most claim it ‘s perfect living and a total “utopia.” Wrong. Ordinances and laws being passed that we are to tolerate anything and everybody, period. That includes ties with the VA to towns to colleges, and don’t upset the families and cliques that are in some way connected to any of it. Media here is totally corrupt and refuse to report much truth and reality, to some deaths or murders. It’s why from here there will be no whistle-blowers or truth. Any honest investigator would be warned or bought off, They don’t want negativity to shadow such things as sports, all the colleges, or the grand 500 mile race that is a sacred cow like the rest. So that means some veterans not connected or running with the mainstream cliques and politics or the in-crowd is expendable and will go unheard, dismissed, threatened, attacked without barriers or help of any kind.
I lost all hope and trust in our VA system and would never allow them to put me to sleep for a life saving surgery, I’d probably be dead like countless others and not a word would be said. Families of many dead vets here don’t think or want to take the time to question their early deaths or cause of it. Especially while being heavily over-medicated with their head dope and incompetence for trying to treat blood pressure issues, treating anything really.
One simple investigation should be enough to blow the roof off of Indiana VA politics, unions and the rest. An investigator from the state of feds just needs to ask why we were told to do things we were in the new pain clinics, what we were told, where it all came down from, the orders and treatment, why we were talked to like stupid irresponsible dogs without a brain, and demanded insane expectations from us like driving hundreds of miles to the VA for anything life threatening or painful and not to use civilian care at all under their new rules. Or to drive hundreds of miles just for a pee test to make sure we weren’t using dope or drinking. More or less told we were all too stupid to receive meds in the mail.
Told, if one veteran abused drugs, alcohol, or commits some crime “we all will sooner or later.” We were told many disgusting things and treated horribly but it’s impossible for us to do anything about the entire mess. “Utopian culture” can’t stand some truth being told or personal experiences being known by others in the real world.
Also, we aren’t to ask questions about why specialty clinics advice and such is not taken seriously by our “foreigner PCPs or students. .Why go to specialty clinics and specialist if a stupid primary isn’t going to do what we were told and given the meds needed? Or why we deal with the ever revolving door of primaries that change yearly or more per year to not having a primary at all because so many quite or change positions. Oh yes, there is plenty to hear about here but it’s forbidden in Indiana and we have our pet trolls from there/here on every forum. Rats and agent provocateurs galore online and in real life to squelch complaint about this great lying state and college towns. Didn’t take the locals long to find this forum either, or know who I am.
In the article, it says there “…was cost cutting…” where many great professional medical personnel left!
Question;
Where the hell did all those BILLIONS OF DOLLARS GO?
@Everyone
I was really contemplating whether or not to put this comment on! Only, since I had been directly involved in a military operation, “Operation Fluid Drive”, June, 1976, against this “well known terrorist organization”, I felt compelled to inform all my brothers and sisters!
I received this “email” about a half hour ago. It’s imperative, and important, y’all know about this. It concerns our “Southeastern Border” with Cuba and our border with Texas! And possibly New Mexico, Arizona and California. I “respectfully request” y’all google it.
Please, the more y’all are aware of additional threats against our “Grand Old Lady”, America, the better.
This article was written 16 Feb. 2016. It explains, in detail, what has been transpiring since the early 1980’s! They left out the part about “terrorists holding hostages at the Beirut, Lebanon airport!”
The title is;
“U.S. Removed Cuba from Terrorist List After Hezbollah Opened Base on Island”
This came from “Judicial Watch”! Dated 16 Feb. 2016.
Only J.W. has been reporting on this “Terrorist Group” for at least 40 years.
When I was involved, Hezbollah was only concidered a “gang”! They weren’t as well trained, well
Funded or well armed as they have become over the past many years.
Many on here might remember the “Attack on the U.S. Consulate” in Beirut, Lebanon in the early 80’s. I believe, in 1981. Remember the Marine Barracks where many U.S. Marines lost their lives or were wounded? That was Hezbollah’s doing!
If your not a subscriber to “Judicial Watch”. I’d urge you to become one!
Their website is;
www . JudicialWatch . org
(remove spaces)
Crazy elf
17 Feb. 2016
this style of Management is common practice, you scratch my back i’ll scratch your. we have been speaking about this subject many times. you are getting people who have no Business experience in Administration. The VA hires Doctors and Nurses to run a Business, they maybe smart, but have no degree in running a Business.
As you say maybe its time to throw the baby out with the bath water. The baby is pretty big, but it has to be done. These people are hiring each other, they all know each other from Meetings conferences, parties lots of booze and lets not leave out family members..
this does not shock me one bit, this behavior has been going on for decades and anyone who fights to correct it gets the shaft, as you seen whistle blowers are fired for doing the right thing. VA Employees see this happen and what do you think they are thinking, boy did you see what happened to the Employee’s that tried to report wrongdoing they got fired, I’M not going to say anything. If I do my children will go hungry, I will end up on the street, I won’t be able to get another job after being fired from the Government.
Whistle Blowers are expendable and just like Veterans who are accused of Disruptive Behavior, they have no avenue against employee’s who falsely accuse them of Disruptive Behavior. The VA management from the very top to first line managers need to be fired or demoted.
I have seen these people in action and have seen Employees go to their supervisor’s and tell them things about other employees just to get them in trouble and that message to managers, is if and when they need a new supervisor in that section, they will hire the employee who will lie about other employees and do managements bidding. This behavior happens way more that people think.
The VA needs a major over haul that includes all higher management from Bob McDonald, his staff and go down hill from there. If McDonald wants to stay he needs to start a fresh and hire new employees and not friends and relatives.
Same at all Regional Offices, start a new. take all of the Hiring out of VA employees hands, outside people to do the hiring. All higher managers must have a degree in Business, middle Management must have a degree or training outside the VA and obtain a certificate of accomplishment.
New regulations on employee relations, Employees who see wrongdoings have an outside source to report too not in house, strict hiring practices no family or friends of friends. Vaciencies for jobs open to the public and veterans preference adheared too, Cameras in all areas and maintained by an outside source. Laws that have teeth, jail time or being released after an outside source if those regulations are not followed.
one thing we have all learned and common knowledge the VA can not police themselves, they can not be trusted, employees, veterans and their families are paying the price when there is no accountability, Veterans deserve the best and should not have to fear VA employees, fear the OIG office, fear retaliation from disgruntaled employees who falsely accuse the Veteran of Disruptive Behavior>
The Disruptive Committee Disbanded so they can not punish Veterans and threaten them with arrest and flag their records for every employee to be on the look out for that veteran. Really Veterans are put in harms way when their records are flagged, employees, doctors, nurses Ect, treat the veteran like a criminal and will hurt the veteran as a retaliatory action for the veteran being Disruptive or just being labled as a possible problem>
Veterans don’t have to do anything wrong at all, they can report you to the Disruptive Committee if they think you maybe disruptive, Get it MAYBE become disruptive. The VA has no definition as to what Disruptive behavior is, this leaves the door open for Abuse and it happens all the time.
Again until Acountability and jail time becomes an issue the VA, will laugh at Congress all day and go on their merry way and Congress is left with their mouths wide open, what just happened ! They plead the Fifth guess they won, oh well maybe the next one won’t know how to say, Under VA’s legal team I plead the Fifth and you can’t do anything about it.
I think the only way the Citizens of these United States will demand change, is for the Draft to be introduced and their Children are required to join the Military and possibly put in harms way and become stake holders.
It seems if it does not effect them personally they stop caring, that’s your problem not mine, its your fault for joining the Military we didn’t twist your arm.
Donald Trump McCain is no hero the dumb guy got caught, hero’s don’t get caught. Like saying why didn’t you jump out of the way of the bullet, you knew they had mines on the road and you drove on it anyway.
This just in from the VA Misinformation News Center.(VAMNC)
Any doctor with or without a license to practice medicine and able to speak one full sentence in english who is employed by the VA will no longer be bound by their HYPOTHETICAL OATH, if they had to take one. (I know how to spell it) This to include any presently employed medical professional….
No license, no malpractice insurance, can’t be sued, no oath, if you miss diagnose a veteran and they die oh well, guaranteed yearly bonuses you’d be a fool not to work at the VA……………
02/17/2016
Dear Benjamin Krause,
Just like the Fernald Plant—WASHINGTON, Oct. 14 [1988]— “Government officials overseeing a nuclear weapon plant in Ohio knew for decades that they were releasing thousands of tons of radioactive uranium waste into the environment, exposing thousands of workers and residents in the region, a Congressional panel said today.”–167,000 pounds had been discharged into the Great Miami River and 298,000 pounds had been discharged into the air. [1951- to 1988]
‘And most important of all, it now admits that for most of the last 35 years, it sat on its hands and did nothing to fix these serious and potentially life-threatening problems.”
https://www.nytimes.com/1988/10/15/us/us-for-decades-let-uranium-leak-at-weapon-plant.html?pagewanted=all
The VA will Glow for years!
Sincerely,
Don Karg
Expect a fast change in Cincinnati?
There definitely needs to be a legal intervention to eliminate or decrease power of the VA union…who advocates for and allows incompetent, dishonest and pitiful employees to continue working at VAs….their hiring practices reveal just how cronyism continues to keep these types of individuals in the system….you basically have to “know” someone to get hired…..ask just how many RN’s are VETS at the VAs….eye opening
My opinion!
The DEA should arrest the alleged physician!
The alleged director should be also arrested!
All of the people involved should be arrested!
Over three dozen “Whistleblowers” have spoken about multiple crimes being committed by a few! I wonder how many more were involved, which hasn’t come out YET?
I’m at a complete loss for words on this one!
Crimes, criminal acts, ARE being committed. No one has been arrested!
This has been an ongoing problem under MANY government (Presidential) administrations! When, as namnibor and others have said, will the “boom fall” on these CRIMINALS?
This being VA Secretary McDonald’s ‘back yard’ of Cincinnati VAMC, is akin to the Phoenix VAMC being in Senator McCain, another ‘Veteran’, and we see how nothing with teeth has come from his unique position of power and influence and LAW being a member of Congress, a Vet, a Disabled Vet., in his back yard the VAMC has Vets dying, no teeth and no punishments that stuck…I fear this Cincinnati VAMC will be another shuffling the VA fraudsters around to repeat and rinse. I hope we are proven wrong.
Reading that full article linked a few times makes your head spin how thick the crap is there and been going on for a while.
@namnibor
IF the Veterans, friend’s of veterans, relatives of veterans & taxpayers don’t get behind these “criminal acts” perpetrated against veterans at the Cincinnati VAMC, and do a MASSIVE demonstration, I feel as you do – nothing more than a “dog and pony show” by Congress and McDonald, where they won’t do their jobs! Which is – to indict & prosecute ALL individuals involved!
There’s more than enough evidence to indict and prosecute!
Also, I wonder IF we will hear about a “law suit” against WCPO TV for reporting the facts? I have a sneeky suspicion on that one!
On a positive note, it’s great to see that over -3- dozen VA Whistleblowers came forward and of those -3- dozen it’s a mix of medical doctors down to medical assistants and nurses. There’s obviously a very large problem at this VAMC. I recall the VA employees protesting outside the Cincinnati VAMC in the news around either Oct/Nov of 2015 but was barely a heartbeat in mainstream news cycle.
I propose that these very things and much more can be found at just about any VAMC in these United States in each of 50 States and Territories.
There’s a very real collective psychology of ‘safety or assumed safety in numbers’ and am thinking that the more and more these things are reported and brought out into the light of day and public, that more VA employees as well as Veterans will come forward and report corruption and fraud.
The big question is: at what point will our Reps. in Congress actually take action with teeth, providing they can grow some balls to do the right thing for Veterans AND Tax Payers? Do we not already have a collective of overwhelming evidence that the VA is off the tracks and still going 110 miles per hour on a hair-pin curve?
Will this double dipping Dr. and this cost-cutting Director of Death be simply moved like chess pieces elsewhere to fester their damage there instead of justice and accountability? Jury is out on this. Wait and see. This being in McDonald’s recent backyard “haunt of PPG” is priceless.
Will they be moved around? Maybe, but they won’t be fired. The MSPB will make sure of that.
I recall news from back in 2009-2010 of Obama stacking the MSPB. I also recall Congress making a show of complaining about it. Problem is, doing a search for that shows multiple news articles on VA management not being punished.
That the MSPB will protect them was made clear in an article I read last night on the director of the Albany Stratton VA in NY. In that article, the MSPB overturned her firing for allowing a nursing side to continue to see veterans even though that aide had numerous complaints of verbally and physically abusing veterans. The MSPB substantiated all of the charges against her, but said the punishment of firing her was too harsh.
That is also an example of veterans handling complaints of physical abuse (assault) within the VA. Filing a police report of assault and pressing charges would likely get more action than allowing the VA to review and cover up any allegations of assault.
The whistle blowers were fired.if I read Ben’s post right.
Love the artwork! 3 bitches and 2 dweebs! Pimping ain’t easy!
It’s time for Johnny Isakson and the Senate investigative committee he heads to appoint a special criminal prosecutor to go after weed out, prosecute, and send to jail everyone of criminals in the VA from top officials to custodians if they have broken federal law. Just destroying one vets documents as they have done is punishable by fine imprisonment or both. Not counting the other insane criminal acts committed by these people, manslaughter, masturbating,shredding,setting fires on and on.