WashPo Journalist Defies VA Story On Trump Appointee Removal
The VA official who advocated for increased hiring and pay for VA health care workers and administrators was axed this week according to multiple sources including Washington Post journalist Lisa Rein.
Sources within the Department of Veterans Affairs, both mine and those of Lisa Rein, say the head of Human Resources Peter Shelby was fired and removed from the building Tuesday. Meanwhile, a VA spokesman asserts Shelby “resigned and left the building on his own”. Either way, VA is without political leadership at the helm of the most troubled branch of the agency – – its hiring, firing, and training of personnel within Human Resources.
A Trump appointee, Shelby was the embattled assistant secretary of VA’s Office of Human Resources & Administration who aimed to centralize the agency’s spiraling hiring and firing apparatus. He helped stand up the Office of Accountability and Whistleblower Protection and reportedly is a friend and “golf buddy” of acting VA secretary Peter O’Rourke.
So why did he get the ax? And who made the decision? Not just anyone can remove a presidential appointee, after all.
Shelby Resignation Or Termination?
Shelby is now unemployed but apparently “left VA to pursue opportunities in the private sector.” The agency asserts Shelby resigned, but that is probably not exactly how it happened in light of the insider accounts and common termination practice by the agency.
Given my experience as an attorney in employment law matters against agency leadership, the agency’s story appears to be code to insiders. The agency, or White House, likely informed Shelby they would terminate his employment if he did not resign on the spot.
While the reason for his removal is yet unknown, the agency is reportedly purging top brass prior to confirmed Robert Wilkie taking over as head of the agency. Most brass on the tenth floor has reportedly been removed in the past month in a kind of purge.
When asked for comment on reports of an agency purge, a VA spokesperson failed to provide comment but instead fixated only on Shelby’s resignation.
Shelby Acknowledges Pay Gap
Last month, Shelby also acknowledged that the agency was failing to hire an appropriate number of doctors and not paying administrators an appropriate salary following an IG report on the topic.
During a Congressional hearing, in response to the question of how much more hospital directors would need to be paid to be competitive with the private sector, “$600,000” was his assessment. Later into the hearing, Shelby qualified the statement saying administrator pay does not need to be as high as that of the private sector, “but we can’t pay at the 5% or 10% level” compared with some other jobs.
Re-Centralize Human Resources
Previously, Shelby said it was his goal to re-centralize human resources.
“Many decades ago one of the secretaries said [we] need agility at the lowest level in [the] organization … so let’s decentralize everything down to the lowest level and give them contracting authority, decision authority. We call that the spaghetti slide, and this is how it operates right now at VA,” Shelby said on Agency in Focus. “So, I’m changing that. We absolutely have to change. There’s no clear line of authority.”
Shelby said the decentralized HR capacity created an impossible situation where the agency could not enforce standard leadership requirements.
“How can you do performance management if you have a thousand different standards for leadership? It’s absolutely impossible,” Shelby said at a human resources management event in December. “We’re putting in place a core way of talking about leadership [and] human capital development. And everyone will go through it.”
O’Rourke On Shelby Departure
According to acting VA secretary Peter O’Rourke:
After more than a year of tremendous service, Peter Shelby has voluntarily left VA to pursue opportunities in the private sector. His leadership has been instrumental during one of the most productive periods for VA reform in recent history. As assistant secretary of VA’s Office of Human Resources & Administration, he helped grow the department’s total number of positions by nearly 15,000, led the development of a direct-hiring initiative for critical vacancies and oversaw the successful implementation of major portions of the landmark VA Accountability and Whistleblower Protection Act. We thank Peter for his service to Veterans, the department and our nation, and we wish him the best in his future endeavors.
Shelby is reportedly a friend of O’Rourke, so his leaving the agency mid-stream certainly seems peculiar.
The Deleted Peter Shelby VA Biography
Immediately after Shelby’s departure, the agency removed his entire biography. Luckily, the Wayback Machine provided this little gem, in italics below, from the cached VA website.
As Assistant Secretary of VA’s Office of Human Resources & Administration (HR&A), Peter Shelby oversees a team that supports over 325,000 VA employees and 6,000 human resources professionals across the country. To meet the needs of the VA workforce, Mr. Shelby leads an HR&A team who provides professional assistance in the areas of Administration, Human Resources Management, Diversity and Inclusion, Resolution Management, Labor-Management Relations, Veterans Employment, Employee Development and Senior Executive Management.
Prior to assuming his current position, Mr. Shelby is Principal and Founder of Transcendent Performance, an HR and talent development consulting practice. Previously, Peter was a Senior Vice President with Related Companies in New York City. Prior to his work in the private sector, Mr. Shelby served in several human capital leadership roles in the Intelligence Community, including Associate Dean at National Intelligence University, Chief Learning Officer for National Reconnaissance Office (NRO), and Deputy for Learning and Development for the Defense Intelligence Agency.
Mr. Shelby retired from the Marine Corps as a Major after 24 years of non-commissioned and commissioned officer service. Peter holds an MBA in Human Resources Management from Northcentral University, and a Master of Arts in Adult Education from George Mason University. He received his Bachelor of Arts in English Literature (summa cum laude) from The Citadel. He is a certified Senior Professional in Human Resources, and SHRM Senior Certified Professional.
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More deep state crap, more about money and back and forth BS between the VA heads. Whatever happened to MD and health care workers being in it to help people instead of being able to join the country clubs.
I don’t know if it’s a jab or joke or more VA worker BS. Just got a survey in the mail from the VA wanting me to fill it out about my “GI tract issues” and “quality of life” today. Being hip to code words, activist tactics, all kinds of BS and games, I think they are poking the bear with little cute sticks. First time I’ve heard from them in years. Then this after trying to get aid from a senators office who recently contacted them and ignored all the rest. Oh go back to the VA? VA is above investigations and perfect. F em all is right. Higher pay and throwing more money at the issues to possibly firing those who are trying to do some whistle blowing is not going to help matters.
Gave them property to use? Seems like the entire government is broken and breaking from the VA, USPS and beyond.
“https://federalnewsradio.com/unions/2018/07/ssa-tells-union-to-leave-by-months-end-details-new-official-time-cuts/”
OT
More from the Hollywood and lefty filth.
‘Sacha Baron Cohen Pretends to be Disabled Veteran to Prank Sarah Palin’;
“https://politicallyslanted.com/2018/07/10/sacha-baron-cohen-pretends-to-be-disabled-veteran-to-prank-sarah-palin/”
Like there isn’t enough assholes, college town kiddies, corrupt media, corrupt politics and freaks out there playing pranks, harassing, or playing the stolen valor games. Bet Maxine Waters and others just love this Cohen freak of nature.
OT
‘New Ambassador to Sierra Leone Hails From Northwest Indiana ‘ What are the picks from Indiana to-date around 40 now? Trumpster and DC sure do love filth from Indiana obviously. I don’t need to wonder why either. Talk about a “clique, shadow governing, deep-state, or nepotism.”
“https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/indiana/articles/2017-09-10/new-ambassador-to-sierra-leone-hails-from-northwest-indiana”
The same AG that disregards citizens with serious issues with local corruption, lack of professional ethics, censoring, HIPPA and disabled veterans or citizen’s rights under the laws as well as our basic human and civil rights. Decency is not for old white men here or for many other vets having issues with state government and cliques.
Oh, and his office like other politicians here think it’s okay and legal for VA and civilian health care ‘professionals’ to harass and play their retaliation games with those of us with major complaints against the activist and cliques. And must think censoring is okay along with playing “Identity politics.”
“https://fox59.com/2018/07/06/indiana-inspector-general-to-investigate-groping-allegations-against-ag-curtis-hill/”
Every time I read a story about the deck chair shuffle I can hear the Benny Hill theme song playing in the background…
600k? Yes to a highly educated professional that can create real budget and the cuts needed. It’s not a tough job for someone experienced, but just like the article states employees and the union will files a bazillion complaints. They will spend their entire day plotting and doing less work as possible. Need to out the Union and write a new employee manual that outlines everything within the building and grounds. Then should be given a updated folder with their particular job description, having them initial every responsibility. How the real world works. Never seen in my life so many people spending more time thinking ideas how to get out of work. Place makes me cry.
Hiring through a central office in Washington D.C.. All hiring needs to be taken away from individual facilities.
No in house hiring. NO special requests for individual facilities asking for a certain employee.
Employees who break any rule, regulations or law’s. Is to be dealt with by the Washington D.C. office.
Anyone who interferes with any investigation, will be held in contempt and relieved of his duties. (Fired).
When more than one person are involved, those employees are to have Federal charges placed upon , under the racketeering laws.
How did the VA get to this point.
By uncruplice people hiring friend’s and relatives or friends. These become cliques or gang’s.
All current employees must go through the same process. NO in house hiring.
This will cut waste and abuse and the law suite will decline
Thank you for the straight talk–Don
“[…Meanwhile, a VA spokesman asserts Shelby “resigned and left the building on his own”. …]”
I’m only surprised the VA doesn’t have a specially contracted Hungry Hungry Hippos Slippery Slide winding around the outside their HQ Building so exiting assholes without golden parachutes in place can have a fun ride out the anterior orifice of VA Meatgrinder.
Thanks nam, I can see them like the Geico piglet on the zipline, complete with spinning pinwheels, weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!
Now, I’ve missed a Geico piglet on a zipline commercial….as a long-time Geico customer, I miss the humble gecko lizard…but a piglet on a zipline, that’s something I must see in this life. 😀
(or was the ‘piglet’ merely metaphorical?)
Here you go nam, “https://youtu.be/cGYBEMlUBsE”. Enjoy.
LMAO, I should’ve watched that one all the way through before posting the link!!!
I was watching the congressional hearing live when that scumbag had the nerve to ask for $600k. He should have been taken out back and hung for being a greedy cunt. Guess this will do.
Fuck em one and all.
07/12/2018
Dear Benjamin Krause,
Marquette University journalism students had something to say in an article dated 07/10/2018, titled “What went wrong at the Tomah VA hospital?”
As the employment crisis deepens at the VA Hospital, some officials were taking matters into their hands—with or without the top brass. Shelby had to be on the losing end of the stick with his thought pattern—“’How can you do performance management if you have a thousand different standards for leadership? It’s absolutely impossible,’ Shelby said at a human resources management event in December.”
The question is —-Was Shelby right?
If so, then where is the VA headed? Well Trump was bashing Bush Senior with his “Thousand Points of Light”—maybe he saw what happened to the VA Hospital and that was enough for O’Rourke to push Shelby out.
I am wondering if Acting Secretary O’Rourke had “performing exit interviews for understanding the cause of employee discontentment and thereafter exit from an organization.”—it is the final step in the performance management system.
At Corning making the F-35 components—all I got was a 20 page non-compete document–after I worked for them. I wonder what Shelby will get?
Sincerely,
Don Karg
Don K – Corning? Hand layups or automated fiber placement? Just curious.
Microwave
nuking pre-pregs? I had a client years back – they build the machines that lay-up carbon for the B 787s, and now others. Massive machines – crazy accurate.