PURGE: Will VA Press Secretary Curt Cashour Be Fired For Subversion?
Press Secretary Curt Cashour may be the first to go from the Department of Veterans Affairs after Secretary David Shulkin received backing for a purge.
Yesterday, Politico reported Shulkin gained White House backing to purge various employees from his staff at VA that were overtly engaged in subversion of the Secretary’s mission and agenda. Last week, following the release of an IG report calling out the Secretary for inappropriately using taxpayer funds, various news reports came out that some staff under Shulkin attempted to thwart his political career.
Following a meeting with the White House about subversion and an upcoming purge of those employees involved, Shulkin appears to be on top of the matter. Based on reporting from Politico, it looks like first on the list to go may be VA press secretary Curt Cashour for blocking the Secretary’s attemps to work with the press during last week’s ouster attempt.
And, assuming the facts reported by Political are true, Cashour should be fired for his role in overtly subverting Secretary Shulkin to the American public and the press.
Hint: If you are reading this Secretary Shulkin, firing Cashour may improve public relations and it would send the right message to the public and to VA employees. If you cross the bull, you get the horns.
I explain why below.
Curt Cashour Background
Curt Cashour was hired from the House Committee on Veterans Affairs after Rep. Jeff Miller retired. He previously worked closely with Rep. Miller and numerous whistleblowers who reported longtime corruption within the agency.
John Ullyot, head of VA Public Affairs, brought him on last summer.
Immediately after his hiring, the press secretary began to restrict access to official comments from smaller reporters like me while reserving substantive responses only for mainstream media reporters, which is a complete contradiction of President Donald Trump’s position on the need to support independent media.
But, we now know Cashour is not beyond disregarding the will of his employer based on his own prejudices regardless of his grasp of the facts or issues in question.
His approach also served to control the narrative based on whatever deep pockets decided the public should know about VA issues, conspiracies and scandals, which is obviously rather limited when reserving substantive responses to the few journalists who focus on VA issues at major publications.
My own personal gripe aside, as being a small news editor, Cashour regularly referenced the position of the agency under his own name giving the impression he was steering policy and decisionmaking, which is not the role of any press secretary.
Previously, most VA employees providing statements to the press were merely referenced as “spokesperson,” etc., and sometimes by name, but Cashour seemed to communicate the agency’s position in a manner that would create a spotlight for himself rather than the Secretary or the agency.
To me, this seemed inappropriate. If he were my employee, I would have knocked him down a peg or two.
As for subversion, as of last week, Cashour reportedly blocked all communications between Shulkin and the press to prevent him from responding to various allegations.
Despite Shulkin’s desire to get out ahead of the scandal, Cashour disregarded the demand of the boss and referred all comments directly to the White House.
Politico indicates Cashour went as far as to remove written statements Shulkin placed online for the public to view.
Now, subversion is a verb where the action is to overthrow someone or bring about his destruction by undermining their principles. Shulkin is the boss, and anyone engaging in acts of subversion like Cashour needs to be fired immediately.
Do not pass go. Do not get $200. You are fired.
He intentional actions that effectively subverted his boss’s attempts to manage the press cycle surrounding the scandal should result in termination.
Now, can you imagine reviewing this case as a company looking to hire Cashour in the future? I hope he garnered some favor for his actions should he end up jobless soon.
Most Employers Would Fire VA Press Secretary Curt Cashour For His Subversion
From my perspective, the agency would benefit if Curt Cashour were fired immediately.
It would send a message to others involved in the scheme while also improving press relations with the agency.
Over the past 8 months, Cashour’s quotes were evasive and insulting of many reporters, and his strategies within the agency have rubbed numerous employees the wrong way, even those employees trying to improve the agency.
He is reportedly dismissive of topics he views as not having a large audience while failing to sufficiently grasp the agency’s mission and internal politics.
To the public, Cashour apparently holds himself out as a decider at the agency, which was further revealed by his actions shutting down Secretary Shulkin’s attempts to salvage his own career.
Based on what we know now, it seems clear Cashour believed Shulkin’s ouster would be successful, and that he would garner favor from Shulkin’s replacement.
Despite those attempts, Shulkin now reportedly has the support of the White House assuming he handles the mismanagement of gifts and travel to Europe in an appropriate manner.
Is Cashour Good At This Job?
Some would want to evaluate whether Curt Cashour is good at his job.
To get at this question, I suggest looking at a piece I wrote in October published at The Hill in response to Secretary Shulkin’s rather flip op-ed published in USA Today about dog testing at the agency.
RELATED: Foreign Based Company Benefiting From VA Canine Research, Not Veterans
Now, we all know Secretary Shulkin did not research or write the piece that was published in his name. It was reportedly written and published by Cashour.
In my response, I highlight how VA is contracting with at least one foreign-based corporation to conduct canine testing at VA facilities nationwide.
The USA Today op-ed was not well researched but instead created an easy target for me to position and attack rather simply. The op-ed regurgitated age-old positions of the agency without diving deeper into the historic significance of canine testing.
RELATED: VA Secretary – Disabled Veterans Need Dog Research To Continue
That testing, coincidently, substantially benefited one company, Medtronic, the foreign-based company linked to present tests by the agency.
Whenever the agency cites its great triumph in the 60’s of the implantable pacemaker, it fails to mention the research patent was sold by the original researchers in question to Medtronic. Meanwhile, the most recent medical advancement for Type II diabetes is also a device tested and sold by Medtronic.
While there is no question some veterans benefited from the implantable pacemaker, the connection between high dollar profits and the research presently being conducted, when compared to veterans possibly benefiting from any Type II diabetes device was too attenuated to argue that veterans still benefit from canine research, today.
Is Cashour good at his job? That is a question I would like Shulkin to answer. Personally, if I were shadow writing an article for mass publication for a Cabinet-level official, I would work hard to make that op-ed bulletproof.
This is a goal Cashour failed to accomplish in my opinion.
VA Secretary Purge Of Subversives
This coming week, his new chief of staff Peter O’Rourke will gather all individuals engaged in the subversion for evaluation and potential termination in a purge.
Regardless of Shulkin’s Europe-gate, Curt Cashour did subvert Shulkin’s attempts to resolve the matter in the press by deleting website content published by Shulkin.
Can you imagine ever doing that to your boss? What other VA employee would keep their job after directly blocking the will of a director or supervisor?
In any other environment, he would be fired as of last week even before Vivieca Wright Simpson, the former chief of staff, resigned. So, do not be surprised if we see him pop up in another organization soon, or maybe at the unemployment office scrubbing his resume.
Will Secretary Shulkin fire Cashour?
At this point, your guess is as good as mine.
It really depends on whose interests Cashour is representing within the agency and whether the White House will back the obvious and questionable acts of one of Shulkin’s subordinates.
Should he be fired? Well, assuming reports from Polotico are accurate, Cashour should absolutely be fired.
Source: https://www.politico.com/story/2018/02/20/shulkin-veterans-agency-purge-417896
fire them all…like fragging I heard about in da nam…break the piggy bank so we can get some decent health care… seems you freakin people don’t really care about us…
@91, SK, after reading SK’s story and 91’s comments, on this peeping Tom, kinda sounds like looking through people’s windows is legal if they don’t know about it. Makes absolutely no sense. If I see someone peeking through my neighbors window, do I have to wake them before I remove the threat? Well, I can’t blame Obama for this. Can I?
Can’t blame Obama for this one. But you most certainly can blame the U.S. DOJ for the actions of Judges in Pittsburg handling these types of cases. Talk about judicial misconduct screaming for investigation.
Here is a prime example from an article from last year on one of the judges in Pittsburg handling of a sexual harassment claim.
“The Allegheny County District Attorney’s office said it will report the conduct of a senior judge after he suggested during a hearing last week that a man be fined $1 for each time he inappropriately touched his victim.
Common Pleas Senior Judge Lester G. Nauhaus ended up imposing no fine on the defendant but ordered him to serve 90 days probation and perform 20 hours of community service.”
On another separate case before the Judge:
“On April 26, Judge Nauhaus was presiding over summary appeals when an 18-year-old appeared before him challenging a $300 fine he’d received for a harassment conviction. The underlying conduct, according to Assistant District Attorney Jeff Tisak, was inappropriate sexual touching over a period of time while both the defendant and victim were in middle and high school.
The defendant, whose name is being withheld because he was a juvenile at the time of the conduct, is involved with the juvenile dependency system and was represented at the hearing by an attorney from Kids Voice, a child advocacy group.
Dawn Walters, who represented the defendant, said she was challenging the fine only because her client could not pay it. She said her client acknowledged what he did was wrong and was apologetic.
When Judge Nauhaus asked Mr. Tisak what the commonwealth was seeking, the prosecutor said 90 days probation and a no-contact order.
“Fine,” Judge Nauhaus responded. “I’m going to give him a 90-day postponement. He has to do community service. And he has to pay a $3 fine. How many times did he touch?”
“I’m going to say about six times, maybe,” the victim responded.
“A $6 fine,” the judge said.
Mr. Tisak interrupted him.
“It is just highly inappropriate to tell a young girl that inappropriate touching is worth a dollar a time,” the prosecutor said.
“What do you want me to fine him?” the judge asked. “He doesn’t have any money.”
“I understand that,” Mr. Tisak replied. “That’s not the point. I don’t care if the fine is zero dollars. It’s highly inappropriate to tell a young girl that …”
“All right. It’s zero dollars. Ninety days. No contact. Twenty hours of community service.”
Source:
Judge suggests $1 fine for each inappropriate touch in harassment case; DA reporting him
Paula Reed Ward
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
May 4th, 2017
At: https://www.post-gazette.com/local/city/2017/05/04/Judge-Lester-Nauhaus-comments-Allegheny-County-Stephen-A-Zappala-Jr/stories/201705050110
From a current article–
Quote: “On Tuesday, when asked if President Donald Trump still had faith in Shulkin, White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders said she had “no reason to believe otherwise.”
“As I’ve said before, if someone no longer has the confidence of the president, you guys will know,” she said.”
“When pressed on specifics of the travel scandal, Sanders said a secondary review of the IG report is already underway, and administration officials would not comment on the matter until it is complete.”
Source:
White House offers faint support for embattled VA Secretary Shulkin
By: Leo Shane III
Military Times dot Com
1 day ago
At: https://www.militarytimes.com/veterans/2018/02/20/white-house-offers-faint-support-for-embattled-va-secretary-shulkin/?utm_source=clavis
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More from the Article–
“When that review will be finished is unclear. Shulkin has claimed that his former chief of staff’s email was hacked during the initial IG investigation, and lawmakers have forwarded those claims to the Department of Justice for further review.
An official VA statement on the matter released Friday, which makes no mention of Shulkin, said that department officials have opened an investigation into the allegations but “thus far found no credible or conclusive evidence of a compromise to our email system or a user’s account.”
White House officials have declined press inquiries on other questions about the ongoing power struggle or Shulkin’s travels.”
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Guess that 10 day Vacation package to Rome and Vatican are also likely going to be postponed until after the additional review.
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https://youtu.be/LZQN1ZGw4XA?t=832
Another of the new press releases by Veterans administration had me rolling on the floor laughing. With the big push by Shulkin toward the Cerner certain to fail $18 Billion plus contract that will make Shulkin a Billionaire being pushed in the 2019 budget.
Shulkin is quoted in the press release saying;
“I know modernizing an agency of our size and geographic breadth is no easy task,” said VA Secretary David Shulkin. “But it is not a task that is out of our reach. If we set bold goals and miss, we’ll make much more progress than we would by setting smaller goals and exceeding them.”
No shit he is really quoted as saying that: “If we set bold goals and miss, we’ll make much more progress than we would by setting smaller goals and exceeding them.”
Isn’t that how most IT projects are at the VA? Shoot for the sky and fail rather than know your limits and succeed.
Makes it very Clear that Shulkin’s idea of progress at the VA is how much bigger he can grow the budget without actually providing reasonable care for Veterans.
That press release is at: https://www.va.gov/opa/pressrel/pressrelease.cfm?id=4014
Hey Shulkin, why not set realistic goals and use the money to complete them rather than throwing the money out the window to the swamp creatures and get nothing in return?
When I first read Shulkin saying, “If we set bold goals and miss, we’ll make much more progress than we would by setting smaller goals and exceeding them.”
My head started to not just shake, but to vigorously shake. Or, maybe another ailment just started to reveal itself. A very strange character, and twister of words. You gotta give the dude credit for the spell that he’s putting on those above them, and below. If they bite. No wonder Cashcow wants in on the mix. He sees the $$$ raining all over the place.
Basically it sounds like Shulkin is trying out a new motto to live by at the VA. Here is one that would fit his views on IT procurement at the VA.
“Fail big or stay at home”
Many opportunists, when their job is on the line, they go for broke. And this could be what may be happening. I say this, because I think Trump will have a live announcement if he makes such a big move in terminating Shulkin. He still depends on the vote of active, and Veterans. IMO, but could be wrong.
“Fail big or stay at home,” fits snuggly.
VA Partners With DeepMind to Build Machine Learning Tools to Identify Health Risks for Veterans
VA Press Release Website
February 21, 2018, 04:01:00 PM
Nice press release about using Veterans medical records. This time it is Google that is getting a copy of our medical records through their London based AI company called DeepMind. Coming on the heels of Shulkin’s European Vacation.
No mention in the press release that the company DeepMind is owned and funded by Google UK. Nor do they mention Mustafa Suleyman’s connections to Denmark, United Kingdom and the European Union.
Also they forget to mention the findings of the UK government and actions taken that Suleyman found himself under the spotlight when a freedom of information request from New Scientist revealed the extent of a data sharing agreement with the Royal Free Trust in North London, which was DeepMind’s first NHS deal.
The deal — which was later deemed illegal by the Information Commissioner’s Office, the UK’s top data regulator — gave DeepMind access to 1.6 million NHS patient records”
Information Commissioner Elizabeth Denham said in a statement at the time: “the price of innovation does not need to be the erosion of fundamental privacy rights. Our investigation found a number of shortcomings in the way patient records were shared for this trial. Patients would not have reasonably expected their information to have been used in this way, and the Trust could and should have been far more transparent with patients as to what was happening.”
Press release is at: https://www.va.gov/opa/pressrel/pressrelease.cfm?id=4013
Additional Source:
“Mustafa Suleyman: The liberal activist who cofounded Google’s £400 million artificial intelligence lab”; Sam Shead, Business Insider dot com, Jan. 20, 2018
At: https://www.businessinsider.com/mustafa-suleyman-the-lefty-activist-ensuring-google-deepmind-benefits-all-of-humanity-2017-12
____________
Guess that means in the very near future anyone will just be able to Google our Medical records.
Why are the salaries of a quarter-million federal employees – paid with your tax dollars – a state secret?
By Adam Andrzejewski
Fox News
Feb 21st, 2018
“Why is the U.S. government withholding salary information on nearly 255,000 employees whose salaries are paid for by American taxpayers?
Over the past 11 years, our organization, OpenTheBooks.com, summed up and posted online the salaries and bonus information for nearly every person employed in federal government agencies – a tally that mostly keeps growing and growing.
This year, our auditors filed our standard Freedom of Information Act request for the same information in Fiscal Year 2017 – and we got a big surprise.
For the first time, the government’s response involved massive and targeted deletions of salary data. A total of 254,839 federal salaries were removed from the Civil Service payroll. That’s a huge increase from the 3,416 salaries redacted in total in Fiscal Year 2016.
Considering that there are 1.35 million people employed by executive agencies, about one out of every five salaries are now hidden from the public.
In military terms, that’s the headcount equivalent of 17 Army divisions. It’s about equal to the urban population of Buffalo, New York, or Madison, Wisconsin.”
“We strongly believe that transparency in government is crucial – especially at agencies where performance and hiring priorities have come under scrutiny.
This year, more than 6,600 salaries were redacted at the often-stumbling Department of Veterans Affairs. Over the past few years, just one in 10 of newly added VA positions were actually doctors. In Fiscal Year 2017, just 6 percent of the VA’s 8,727 new hires were doctors – according to the data not blacked out.”
Full Report At: https://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2018/02/21/why-are-salaries-quarter-million-federal-employees-paid-with-your-tax-dollars-state-secret.html
Do I care if Cashour is fired? Yes. Should he be fired for undermining Shulkin? Yes.
Do I think he should have been fired because his press responses looked like they came from a snarky, unprofessional smart ass? Absolutely.
None of that means I still don’t think Shulkin should not be fired. He should be setting an example for over 300,000 employees to do the right thing, and he failed at that. Letting him slide is a seriously huge set back for any kind of culture of accountability.
Again, how many VA employees will point to this at their MSPB hearing as an example of others not being held accountable?
Whatever happens will happen, and it appears it will happen regardless of what I or other veterans think about this. I think its disgusting that Trump is letting him slide if that is the case.
The only silver lining I can see in this is that perhaps now Shulkin is clearly beholden to Trump for his job and staying out of jail. Perhaps now Shulkin will be upholding Trumps agenda, whatever the hell that is now regarding veterans, instead of Shulkin being beholden to old crooks on the House and Senate VA committees and their contractor friends.
I do find it interesting though how fast Shulkin and others can move if they fire Cashour and others in comparison to how fast they move at firing VA employees who harm veterans.
I see the pathetic so-called VSO named the American Legion still remains silent after the fourth case of Legionnaires’ disease is confirmed in just this last week at the Quincy Veterans home. Four years running and an endless number of Veterans who are sickened and dying at Quincy from a disease named after the American Legion and yet not one word about it from the legion.
You would think they might say something. But no, they are a little to busy plotting and planning how to assist Shulkin with his VAOIG report problems. Who I might add is the person ultimately responsible for recertifying Quincy Veterans home as eligible to receive VA funds while the manslaughter of Veterans is continuing year after year.
The Legion is also part of Shulkin’s team helping to get the $200 Budget through the Senate and Congress screwing us Veterans and all-American Taxpayers.
_
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Sources:
Fourth case of Legionnaires’ disease confrimed at Quincy veterans home in one week
Posted 2:52 pm, February 21, 2018, by WQAD Digital Team
At: https://wqad.com/2018/02/21/fourth-case-of-legionnaires-disease-confrimed-at-quincy-veterans-home-in-one-week/
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VA Secretary among notable speakers at The American Legion’s 2018 Washington Conference
News Provided by American Legion, Feb 21st, 2017
“ WASHINGTON, Feb. 21, 2018 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary David Shulkin will speak at The American Legion’s 58th annual Washington Conference during the Commander’s Call event on Tuesday, Feb. 27, at the Washington Hilton, Washington, D.C.”
“Other government dignitaries who will also be speaking include U.S. Rep. Phil Roe (R-Tenn.), chairman of the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs; U.S. Rep. Tim Walz (D-MN), ranking member of the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs; and U.S. Sen. Jon Tester (D-MT), ranking member of the Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs.”
At: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/va-secretary-among-notable-speakers-at-the-american-legions-2018-washington-conference-300602249.html
P.S. The Legion is then going to get the traditional photo ops with Congress and the senate.
“On Wednesday, Feb. 28 at 10 a.m., The American Legion National Commander Denise H. Rohan will testify before a Joint Session of the Senate and House Veterans’ Affairs Committees in the Dirksen Senate Office Building, Room G-50. Doors open at 9:30 am.”
The sentence “The Legion is also part of Shulkin’s team helping to get the $200 Budget through the Senate and Congress screwing us Veterans and all-American Taxpayers.”
Should read “The Legion is also part of Shulkin’s team helping to get the $200 Billion dollar Budget through the Senate and Congress screwing us Veterans and all-American Taxpayers.
Purge, thought that was a once a year thing. After all these accountability laws, why does the Dr. have to ask anyone to fire anyone? What was Cashour trying to accomplish, other than discredit the Dr.? For myself, Shulkin’s agenda is a mystery.
Judge drops charges against Veterans Affairs nurse accused of spying on Pitt students
Megan Guza
Trib Live
Wednesday, Feb. 21, 2018
“Charges were dropped Wednesday against a former Veterans Pittsburgh Healthcare System nurse accused of using a spotting scope to spy on University of Pittsburgh students last year.
Paul May, 56, of Lawrence County’s Enon Valley, was charged in November with loitering and prowling, possessing instruments of crime and invasion of privacy after VA police spotted May in an SUV in the Oakland parking garage looking into dormitory windows with the scope.
The charges were dropped at the preliminary hearing after Magisterial District Judge James Hanley Jr. said there were no victims, said Mike Manko, spokesman for the District Attorney’s Office.
“At this time, we would have no plans to re-file the charges based on the magistrate’s ruling that we failed to produce any actual victims,” he said.
Police wrote in the criminal complaint that May watched Pitt students who were “in a state of full or partial nudity.”
A spokesperson for the VA said May is no longer employed by the hospital system.
At the time of his arrest, the VA said it was taking steps to fire May.”
Full Article At: https://triblive.com/local/allegheny/13331801-74/finding-no-real-victims-judge-drops-charges-against-veterans-affairs-nurse-accused
I kind of wonder how hard they might have looked for any victims.
Maybe the same investigative thoroughness as the FBI used when they got the tip about the You tube comment made by the Florida shooter.
Off-Topic: “A senior White House official resigned Wednesday after learning that his past marijuana use would keep him from receiving a security clearance…”
Seems AG Sessions finds evil marijuana MUCH more evil than a broken system and society where kids have easy access to assault weapons BUT GOD FORBID anyone takes a toke of evil marijuana. (r-r-r-r-ight)
When you see this article, you will see this disheveled trainwreck of a human in article’s photo would be very hard to determine when and if every stoned because he looks toasted all the time:
“https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/another-white-house-official-just-resigned-because-he-couldn%E2%80%99t-get-a-security-clearance/ar-BBJ8MHB?ocid=ientp”
“WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court dealt a blow to some Wall Street whistle-blowers Wednesday.
The justices ruled unanimously that employees are not protected from retaliation if they blow the whistle on alleged corporate misdeeds without going to the Securities and Exchange Commission…]”– Seems accountability IS the new kryptonite and both are green.
You do know what that is Called don’t you?
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Shulkin is a suck ass. Trump failed to keep his promise of a White House hotline, where vets could complain directly to the White House. Shulkin covered for Trump’s lie, by creating a new VA call in system manned by all VA employees. Shulkin CALLS it a White House Hot Line, but it is far from. The new call in number has the power to do ONE THING ONLY, they forward your complaint to the VA facility, about which you are complaining. They are NOT allowed to forward your complaint to WH staff. I got this directly from the VA employees who run Shulkin’s new call in line. In my book, that makes Shulkin a liar and a sissy suck ass.
So my suspicion is correct. I complained to the Director about my VA PCP. They told me that they would transfer the complaint to that particular PCP. I said NO, I’ve already spoke to such, and why would I be calling you. I want you to handle the complaint, and I’m tired of going around in circles. Result; can’t do that, and thank you for calling the VA. Nothing got resolved, I’m still stuck, and the PCP goes home every night with no worries.
Which country is he/she from? Where did they get their degrees?
More and more I been seeing or hearing supposed doctors
with names I cannot pronounce and accents I barely understand?
The problem is their is a communication gap. They do not
understand what I am saying and I sometimes don’t understand
what they are saying.
I told this nurologist I have neuropathy, asthma and
heart disease. I can’t walk very far or very much.
He tells me to walk more! Dah!
I challenged one of the call center people about asking for my social security number. I told them it is an administrative issue in which the call has nothing to do with opening my medical record. She stated they use a system named “Sail force” I believe.
I did request a SPAR report from my local VA and will see any dumbass who access my record. They will probably will try to scrub it before I get it. My last actual note in my record should be in 2014. Anything after that, they will have some explaining to do.
@CorpsmanUp! – Brother, I’d like for you to give me a call on my Go Fuck Yourself VA Bat Phone (lol). 302-894-3135. We’re in the same State, not living far from each other. If can, have your Caller ID unblocked.
Because you talked to the VA, what may sounded like saying “Sail force” may very-well have been her lazy phonetic attempt at the word, “Cell phone”…it’s a human zoo at the VA. (don’t feed the animals)
Lately, I’ve been slipping thought and remembering wise, and geesh all the misspelling of words that I’ve caught afterwards. That’s why I’ve been trying hard to keep my posts short.
I heard of “Sail Force” or something just a tad ago. Do you remember where this was stated. I forget, and thought that since you mentioned it, and I said to myself, “Nutter self, where did you hear Sail Force before.” Can’t remember for the eating of a Kit Kat bar. And Kit Kat bars are one of my favorite candies.
What I take home from this affair is, that while killing vets is NOT a firing offense at VA, embarrassing the VA Secretary is. Sounds like more whistle blower retaliation to me
Good call Ron, and I agree.
Does anyone else find it odd that no one from the White House is backing up Shulkin’s claims?
No one from the White House has said that Shulkin’s job is safe.
No one from the White House has said that Shulkin has permission to purge the VA of employees disloyal to Shulkin.
In other words every thing that Shulkin is saying is BS.
Also have to wonder if Shulkin is now triple dossing his happy pills? Also how long before his big crash?
I think he’s on the way out. At least that’s what is in my emails to Trump. POTUS, you need to terminate Shulkin.
You have an actual email address for President Trump? Could I have it? None of the ones I have tried have ever acknowledged receiving my communication.
@ron nesler – sorry, I forgot to put ” ….” around the emails, and my message went into moderation. And the last time that it did this, it got lost on Shulkins desk somewhere. Let me repeat my message in case the first one don’t come out of “moderation jail”;
I’ve never had a reply to my emails either, but I keep on sending them anyway. And the way that you know that someone received them, is that they’ll send you a confirmation, or like all Poli’s ask for a donation for the cause of not totally diving in the VA, to stop the carnage. Here are the emails that I have;
“[email protected]”
“[email protected]”
And I send them to Ronna McDaniel, Mike Pence, Eric Trump, Jr. Trump, Ivanka.
Not sure who reads them, but I do get a confirmation. I hope it makes a difference, or the topics or issues just add up with everyone else sending emails. Brother I’m doing all that I can, even if it doesn’t hit the eyes of Sir POTUS DJT. I still send them. Good luck. I’m sure someone on here has an updated list of some sort. What a second let me ask.
“Hey, any one have an updated email list where we can send our emails too, so that possibly POTUS can get the message, or that someone can pass it on to him. Any ideas?”
We’ll have to wait a tad or too for a response, so lets us see what happens. lol
Compare Shulkins actions since his little travel scandal started to that of other Trump administration official’s travel costs.
This is the first I’ve seen one of them so publicly proclaiming WH support for something like this.
He’s acting like some mean girl bullying another girl on the school yard hoping her posse shows up to save her ass.
Just because some think that Shulkin knows the VA system well, doesn’t give him a pass per the monies spent on his U-Have-A-Nice-Time-Trip in Europe. And that includes even if he makes good and pays the money back. He should’ve known better anyway to not do such a thing.
Hey you stupid shit VSO’s, it sends the wrong message. And, since you claim that Shulkin knows the VA so well, then why isn’t he setting a priority, and focusing all his energies in cleaning up the VA. Or, doesn’t the lives of Veterans mean anything anymore, even to the top dog. Too much spin, and way too many smoke screens going on in this corrupt Agency.
And, Curt Cashcow should be terminated as well. Boy, I’m just cleaning the house aren’t I? This is so simple, so why are they making it so complex?
So POTUS Trump, wrap up your Burger King Doubled-Up Cheeseburger, tell Melania to put your Mar A Lago double chocolate cake away into the fridge, and pick up you expensive gravity fed ink pen, and start writing some more Executive Orders, to bypass the rest of the slumber stooges.
Get er done Prez, get er done. Veterans are not getting, but they are fucking tired of the bull-crap.
If I were told by some asshat VSO that Shulkin should stay because he knows the VA well…I would have to ask how such a government bureaucrat did not learn federal travel regulations well enough to know he was wrong in having his wife’s travel paid for.
During his time as Undersecretary and since as Secretary, did he never learn what was allowed or not allowed to be reimbursed for travel expenses?
Hell its not like the VA does not have experience at VA employees traveling, moving them around or ripping off taxpayers over moving expenses.
It isn’t going to matter. Not on iota. The war being waged is one of political accountability. At the services level, it is professional accountability that we need. These guys aren’t jockeying for power to help us. Their jockeying to obtain or retain positions closer to the money.
I thought subversion against the government in a time of war was punishable by firing…squad.
These days instead, you get to travel to Switzerland for dinner with the Mrs. where a Swedish performance artist chef will slap your wrist with a fresh sea bass as a start for an icebreaker, then a country of your choosing for a spanking.
mr curt cashour come tu merdia pendejo YO NEED TO BE FIRED ASAP PENDEJO !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Remove John Ullyot too. This is a guy who said openly one day back a dozen years ago that he was going to be WH Press Secretary. How has that worked out for him? He is as bad as this guy Cashour if not worse.
Maybe the Secretary has seen the light and has realized that VA employee’s will harm anyone to keep the VA open. You 350 thousand VA employee’s, how many Bad apples in these 350 thousand would it take to destroy the VA. 1, 2, a click, criminal.
How many think, how many Director’s, associate directors, chief of staff, Section Chiefs, Supervisors are Scheming, to get rid of anyone who wants to rock the boat and actually hold them accountable.
We, have seen over and over the scandals, someone, has to be guilty of cover ups, misdeeds, so why is our Justice department not interested in criminal activity.
After all Veterans have died. They are being refused their deserved disability, the VA is closing veterans claims illegally and those veterans would have never known.
They must be working for Kimberly Graves and Diana Rubin’s. We will see who has the last laugh. Who’s going to stop people like this, seems no one. if the VA should find this was done in their office or facility and the VA tries to go after them, they would probably say it was retaliation and get protection.
If closing 278 veterans claims illegally, Knowingly ! that should be a Federal crime, Sheading veterans Military records should be a federal crime. VA examiners for claims, should be held accountable for any veteran whos claim had been denied and later found that his/her disability claim, should have been approved the first time, should be a federal crime.
Employees yelling at veterans, over medicating, falsely accusing veterans of disruptive behavior, should be a federal crime. Etc.
The Justice department by not holding these employees accountable, left the door wide open for abuse, employee’s getting the impression, I can do what ever I want to veterans, even kill them and nothing will be done, hell I might even get a Bonus, should I be asked to leave.
Jail, laughable, Secretary Shulkin, should have had his eye’s opened and should have learned at the VA, you can not afford to make friends. These people are always scheming and behind closed doors, they are scheming and will harm anyone who would dare mess up their criminal enterprise.
As stated before, in May of 2017, I sent Secretary Shulkin a packet that contained real evidence, proving I had been falsely accused of disruptive behavior and them stating I wanted to murder VA employee’s.
His office, did receive the packet and I have heard nothing, so what happened ?
I believe one of his staff, Hid, shredded or file 13 all my evidence. I had dealing with his staff before and someone who went by the name of Stephanie, may not be her real name.
Contacted me about the Manager who falsely accused me of disruptive behavior. This Staff member (lied) to me about the Manager. Secretary Shulkin staff, stated to me ” the employee’s who you are speaking about, (no) longer works for the VA !
This was a straight Lie and when I told Stephanie that someone had lied to her or she was ling to me, as the employee was still working. Guess what happened next. (CLICK) hung up on me.
Yes a good house cleaning is well over due. This must be done one clinic, hospital, regional office and any other agency associated with the VA must hold a purge one facility at a time.
Mainly older employee’s, who are eligible for retirement be pushed out the door. I know an employee with over 50 years and she needs to retire and let a veteran have a job.
It would be defining when Congress calls these perpetrators more to their hearings so that their public statements can be contested under oath. Congress or any other committee that holds jurisdiction to charge these fucktards with perjury can fix these liars statements .
Cashour needs to receive more than firing as he perpetuated false claims in trying to be the tail that wagged the BIG DOG. His job was “not to reason why just to do or die”. His job was not to replace the Secretary’s brain with his own. As a result people did not receive the information which Sec Shulkin wished to communicate to all, but we received the info which this “pimple on the ass of journalism” wished to convey to all. He is a member of the “greased pigs club” and the “association of slimy snakes” two important committees which operate within the VA as subcommittees of the AFGE, as led by lil Cox. Time to make a clean sweep and kick those subversives in the ass out the door which interfere with the care of veterans. Despite any costs, aggravations to the effort, Cashour needs to be made and example of. Let the whole world know who wish to employ this big mouth and little brain that he is another Crappernick, not a team player and not anyone devoted to the care of veterans, a back stabber and the worst of employees, “the man who would be king”.
“What other VA employee would keep their job after directly blocking the will of a director or supervisor?”
I would say no more than 99% of them.
Agreed, but they don’t play by the rules either. They blatantly lie to us and who does anything about it?
Shulkin, firing good little turd Curt Cashcow. Not going to happen! Cashcow has repeatedly fully presented the river of VA BS as fact since he has been at the VA.
It was reported that the reason for pulling Shulkin’s press post was because he had been told by Kelly not to issue any statements and no interviews. Also that all comments were to be approved by the White House with all inquires to staff being referred to the White House for comments.
As for what is being called the purge of political opposition. It should be called what it truly is. Another retaliatory purge of Whistleblowers and investigators at the VA because they told the truth about the VA.
Most certainly Shulkin had no intention of firing his former Chief of Staff who aided in his corrupt practices at the VA.
No the primary so called purge is going to be happening at the VAIOGs office where they will be cutting 27 full time investigators.
As explained in the following clip. Taken from last weeks Congressional 2019 Budget Hearing which Shulkin proposes a 27 Full Time Employee cut to the staff at the VAOIG days after the release of the VAOIG report on his European Vacation.
__________________
Cut the Staff of medical doctors and hire a thousand more floor polishers, …that is the VA WAY,
No Flot, I am not talking about VA hiring practices in general.
I am pointing out that what Shulkin is calling a purge of various employees from his staff at VA. He claims were overtly engaged in subversion of his mission and agenda at the VA. Is Truly whistleblower retaliation on a grand scale at the VA by Shulkin.
To submit to Congress a cut to the budget of the watchdog of the VA several days after the watchdog reported on his illegal use of Veterans Affairs money to fund his European Vacation. Also now knowing that he had planed a similar 10 day Vacation to the Vatican again using VA funding in April of this year.
Also, note that Shulkin hired a law firm and that he is represented by three attorneys who prepared and released to the press an 8 page rebuttal of the IG’s report nearly a week before the scheduled release of the IG’s report.
Their rebuttal claiming the findings of the IG’s report were Politically motived and meant to subvert his authority at the VA. Now Shulkin is claiming he has the white house’s approval to fire employees who are subversive and politically motived at the VA.
Submitting the 2019 VA Budget with a proposed cut of 27 full time employees from the VAOIG. Just days after the release of the VAOIGs report is nothing less than Whistleblower retaliation perpetrated by Shulkin against the VAOIG.
That’s a bit like pre-Nazi Germany when they disarmed the entire public before the really crazy shit started flying…wouldn’t want anyone shooting back.
VAOIG reduction same difference unless, these 27 full time OIG staff have a lackadaisical work ethic…but this is the fox killing-off any other potential foxes so Shulkin can guard the chicken coop.
Great Article on the subject of Shulkins’ wild claims of a right wing conspiracy. From Luke Rosiak at the Daily Caller News Foundation.
VA Secretary’s Daughter Deletes Tweet Alleging A ‘Political Conspiracy’ At The Department
Luke Rosiak
Investigative Reporter
Daily Caller News Foundation
1:21 PM 02/21/2018
“The daughter of one of President Trump’s cabinet secretaries tweeted — then deleted Tuesday — about a “political conspiracy” by “right-winged” “Trump appointees, designed to uproot an Obama holdover.”
The comments echo those of her father, Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary David Shulkin, who warned of a conspiracy against him by conservatives at the VA, speaking of “subversive events” and saying those who have defied him “won’t be working in my operation.”
Jennifer Shulkin, a Harvard Law student and Huffington Post writer, tweeted: “‘Ethical violations’ are an excuse to undermine my father and privatize VA. For the story of political conspiracy you haven’t heard… #ShulkinStays.””
“Meanwhile, Shulkin told Politico Tuesday that it was “conservative foes” and not he who would be fired. He also claimed that the White House supports him.”
Full Article Well worth reading at: https://dailycaller.com/2018/02/21/shulkin-daughter-deleted-tweet/
Also got to just love how the top leadership of the VSOs that are coming out to support Shulkin have not even considered what their memberships think about Shulkin’s wrong doing.
Guess they consider all their membership to be brainless fools that believe anything they tell them to believe. What utter fools. Both the leadership and the members.
If we had a congress concerned over the laws they passed being enforced, specifically that law creating IGs in federal agencies, they would be demanding answers why Shulkin wants cuts to the IG office.
I can’t really fault 27 staffers warming chairs in the IG office bring cut given the thorough whitewashing they have done throughout the VA for years, but I would think an agency with such massive fraud waste and abuse would increase the size of the IG office to get a handle on it.
Or, if staff must be cut, cut 27 of the 127 Interior Designers some VA jackass thought were critical to their mission.
But then, none of that would insure the gravy trains ran on time.
The O’Jays Lyrics
“Back Stabbers”
(What they do)
(They smile in your face)
All the time they want to take your place
The back stabbers (back stabbers)
A smile in your face! ????
The VA Lyrics
“BACK PATTERS”
celebrate the tremendous progress
A Year in Review: Teamwork
02/21/2018 04:09 PM EST
WASHINGTON – Today the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Office of Information and Technology (OIT) released its 2017 Year in Review to celebrate the tremendous progress OIT has made in the past year toward creating a modern VA and an enhanced Veteran experience.
The Jimi Hendrix Experience…LOL
The VA is patting the back of the Aurora VAMC Black Hole Project and yet more wasted IT “fix” $$$…it often gets a bit choked-up after several hundred million $ go down the wrong pipes. 😀
The O’Jays Lyrics
“Back Stabbers”
______________
Here’s an interesting article out from;
“military.com”
Dated: 20 Feb 2018
By: Richard Sisk
Titled;
“White House Hedges on Shulkin As Vets’ Groups Rally Behind Him!”
Evidently, the OIG report isn’t enough for the White House’s explanation over Shulkin’s European Vacation. There’s now a “…secondary review underway on Shulkin’s travel expenses!”
We should remember, Shulkin and his wife used taxpayers monies for more than just her airfare and Wimbledon Tickets. They even “…went to Switzerland for dinner…” among other things!
Which would mean, Shulkin would have to repay more than the $4,100+ dollars to the IRS: ie; taxpayers!
There’s also some very interesting comments over this issue!
Is it just me or does Cashour have the smug mugshot of year award? He has one of those public affairs faces where he could retain that smug mug while telling Vets there’s nothing to worry about…while knowing full-well an earth-annihilating asteroid was about to hit earth within an hour.
What I’m saying is Cashour has what’s commonly known as a ‘poker face’…what you poke it with is your imagination game today. 😀
? I call it “The Gameshow Host look” Chuck Woolery looking motherfuckers. “I will be back in 2 and 2″…….. Fuckers!
Watching this. Follow the money.
Ok, let me get this straight, the VA, who’s main mission is to serve veterans has no clue of how the chain of command works??? Fuck me sideways!!!! Agree with nam, flush the system. Then install LEADERS with a knowledge of basic military structure.
FUCK VA, FUCK AFGE
Oh, so now any vets that have something to say against the VA “dictatorship” is gonna have their benefits claims shredded or reevaluated?
This is outrageous. Why isn’t President Trump stepping in already?
We need to form a petition to have Shulkin removed.
@TaB – I must of missed it, where does it state, “vets that have something to say against the VA “dictatorship” is gonna have their benefits claims shredded or reevaluated.” Thanks.
Sorry for miscommunication. My post is/was just me ranting – not a statement of fact.
The main reason that I asked, is that there is a very good possibility of the VA’s leadership trying to pull such crap (illegal that it would be).
“[…Should he be fired? Well, assuming reports from Polotico are accurate, Cashour should absolutely be fired.]”
Just like most persistently aggressive weeds on a farm, if you only were to treat 1 acre out of 120 acres with pesticides, thinking that should also keep the other 119 acres free of life-choking aggressive weeds, you will quickly find those weeds in the remainder 119 acres will quickly reseed and infect/affect that once “weed-free one acre”…
…^THAT ANALOGY^ holds true for a system and in the VA’s case, a systemic mess. Playing whack-a-mole only encourages these assholes and one massive enema is what is required at the VA to get rid of ALL the aggressive life-choking weeds from the VA’s system mess.
Anything short of a complete systemic flush is nothing but a futile attempt at containing swamp gas while holding a lit flame. Aint happenin’!!!!!!!
Well said: A clean sweep is the only remedy. The VA employees still act like they are the VA and we are the huddling masses who should be lucky to get some crumbs.
In my opinion, Shulkin still has not FIRED many across the country.
He, Shulkin, was caught breaking the law. Yet, he’s still head of the VA, WHY?
Cashour needs replacing, as do many hundreds of other VA employees.
The way I see this is nothing more than an attempt to keep the corruption, waste, fraud and abuse alive and well throughout the VA!
PS
@shulkin-fuckoff You’ve done nothing FOR veterans. Is it because you believe your above the law?
@afge-fuckoff You support VA’s egregious acts against veterans! Many of whom were murdered by VHA’s across the country!
@vso’s-fuckoff You’ve lost the trust in the veterans you serve!
@allvaemployees-fuckoff If you refuse to tell the truth, your part of the problem!
Unfortunately, we are at the end of our rope in receiving honest treatment from the VA, and there are many waiting for a press release announcing a “Missing Persons’ Report” for lil Cox.
Perhaps in furtherance of the policy of the philosophy of keeping the masses in the dark we should hire Adam Schitt as our new press Secretary?
The Secretary, regardless is still responsible, it is clearly a power struggle over the favored practice of corruption! The fight really was over the piggy bank! The Secretary , without any knowledge of what is an acceptable gift or benefit of the Secretary, should have steered clear of any offering of such until his patients were taken care of first!
Fuck Shulkin, Cashour, AFGE, oh yeah , you too OIG, you little beady eye fucker!
Semper Fi to this, as any Secretary who takes advantage of VA “special perks” while the VA is suffering from such corruption should be also fired, which is Sec Shulkin who STILL cannot exert control over the festering cesspool known as the VA where the employees seem to think that THEY are the VA.