Democrats Demand Perjury Investigation Into Acting VA Secretary
House Democrats outraged by recent hearing testimony from acting VA secretary Peter O’Rourke referred the Cabinet official to the Department of Justice for an investigation. In a letter to Attorney General Jeff Sessions, House Democrats are demanding an investigation alleging perjury, misleading or otherwise unlawful statements.
I do not know about you, but the second I read that anyone in the House of Representatives referred a Cabinet official to the DOJ much less the VA secretary, I started looking for flying pigs expecting hell froze over.
Anyone watching O’Rourke testify last month and this month with a clue about what is going on inside the agency knows he misled Congress. But, I would suspect no one thought Congress would do anything about it.
And why would we? For years, we have seen the agency lie about veteran deaths, wait list frauds, appeals backlogs, burn pit foibles, Agent Orange denials – – you name it, the agency lied about it to Congress.
So what has House Democrats so mad?
The agency is putting the squeeze on agency union employees – – and by union employees, I mean a huge and powerful voting block for Democrats. O’Rourke made false or misleading statements about how the agency has processed whistleblower complaints.
In case you missed it, here is the letter to DOJ. Let me know what you think. Will it go anywhere? I suspect if O’Rourke says “Russia did it…” [insert your own adventure].
Letter To Investigate Acting VA Secretary
Dear Attorney General Sessions,
We refer Mr. Peter O’Rourke, Acting Secretary, Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), for investigation of alleged perjury, misleading or withholding information from Congress, or making otherwise unlawful statements in testimony and communications before the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs on June 26, 2018 and July 17, 2018. The alleged statements were made during two oversight hearings in response to questions regarding the withholding of access to information and a database from the VA Office of the Inspector General (VA OIG), and the status and disposition of a VA whistleblower complaint.
Notably, in every invitation to testify at Committee oversight hearings, all witnesses, including those representing VA, are reminded that the testimony they will provide will be subject to sections 1001, 1505, and 1621 of Title 18 of the U.S. Code. Relevant excerpts of Mr. O’Rourke’s testimony are attached to this letter.
On June 26, 2018 and July 17, 2018, when questioned about whether VA had restricted access to its Office of Accountability and Whistleblower Protection (OAWP) documents and database, Mr. O’Rourke stated, “…[W]e provided documents all through this period of time. So it is not like they have been refused things. We provide disclosures to them on a daily basis as soon as they come in.” He also testified, “…[W]e have provided them disclosures consistently.”
According to VA OIG, OAWP was not in daily contact, and VA OIG received less than 20 referrals from OAWP in approximately 8 months. Additionally, Mr. O’Rourke’s statements on June 26 were contradicted by two letters VA OIG sent to VA Office of General Counsel (OGC) on June 28, 2018 and July 10, 2018 requesting access to the OAWP information and its database that would not have been necessary if OAWP had not withheld information from VA OIG.
When questioned again about access to the OAWP database and information in a hearing on July 17, 2018, Mr. O’Rourke testified, “[IG’s] access to OAWP has been unfettered since day one.” Letters exchanged between VA OIG and Mr. O’Rourke, letters from VA OIG to OGC, and notifications from VA OIG to Congress—including notification that it had been granted OAWP database access the morning of the July 17 hearing after 8 months of VA stonewalling—contradict this statement and provide evidence that Mr. O’Rourke’s statement that VA OIG had “unfettered access since day one” is false.
On July 17, 2018, when questioned about the status of a whistleblower complaint made by Dr. Dale Klein, a VA employee, Mr. O’Rourke was dismissive of Dr. Klein’s case, stating:
“His case, in particular, has been reviewed by OSC…[W]e didn’t have the chance to investigate it because it wasn’t even in our hands. But I believe that case resolved with him being removed and the Office of Special Counsel supporting that decision.”
Emails provided to the Committee from Dr. Klein to Mr. O’Rourke demonstrate OAWP had received Dr. Klein’s complaint. VA had been involved in Dr. Klein’s case as it has yet to be resolved. Furthermore, the Office of Special Counsel has not made any findings or recommendations regarding Dr. Klein’s case, nor would it have the authority to support a decision that must ultimately be made by the VA Secretary. This inaccurate and misleading statement is another example in which Mr. O’Rourke has been less than forthcoming with Congress.
As such, we request that you open an investigation to determine whether Mr. O’Rourke made unlawful statements (perjury or otherwise) in providing false testimony in the two subject hearings. If you determine that Mr. O’Rourke did in fact make an unlawful statement, or that others conspired with, instructed, or encouraged him to do the same, we request that you pursue immediate prosecution.
If you have any questions, please contact Ms. Grace Rodden, Minority Staff Director, Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, at (202) 225-9756 or at [email protected].
Sincerely,
TIM WALZ
Ranking Member
MARK TAKANO
Vice Ranking Member
KATHLEEN RICE
###
Told ya, anyone trying to be a lifelong government employee, when you have talents and education that should translate to a better living and yet want the government job? Something is wrong and they set him up, hasn’t kissed enough ass. Sessions should get canned, he should have 20 people on CA looking to put people in jail over their stupidity. This dude is toast unless Trump plays nice nice.
@Paul,
1 million?
That has been proven to be false. Check fact checker, his daddy gave him 7 million before his casino went belly up When Daddy died, the Donald fucked his siblings out of millions. The apartments in Cincinnati alone were evaluated for 3.2 mill, not to mention properties in New York and New Jersey plus over 30 mill in operating cash. Don’t call me a Democrat, call me a disgruntled republican who still can’t believe that president little hands hi jacked the party. If there ever was a man who had little dick syndrome it is that loud mouthed lying punk. I believe that all that laying under a sun lamp has fried his brain. Stormy Daniels says that she wasn’t fucked by trump….. she says it was more like a tickle.
Have a good day.
Why problems, people have rage with many without cause. Make no difference, Trump is in, looked as an idiot sometimes, but has done good. Before you know it will be 2 years from now and that will tell all..
Sorry but your fact checker says million and by the way you seem to know slot about Trump give me some stats on your boy Obama who didn’t do shit for veterans and what branch of service was he in the same one Clinton was in
Actually, its 8 states, not 6 as I commented above.
“https://dailycaller.com/2018/07/26/freedom-foundation-medicaid-labor-unions/”
From the article:
“California, Connecticut, Illinois, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Oregon, Vermont, and Washington deducted the money from healthcare workers’ paychecks for overseeing the elderly and disabled. In many cases, the workers were forced to pay dues to unions without the workers’ approval.”
I notice that all of the states that changed their laws to take part in the Medicaid fraud by allowing unions to steal money directly out of Healthcare worker’s paychecks, even if they are not part of the Union, are states where the legislative upper house majorities as of 2018 is Democrat.
“https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/3f/Map_of_USA_by_state_upperhouse.svg/350px-Map_of_USA_by_state_upperhouse.svg.png”
This started some years ago. I recall reading about people in Illinois fighting against it, but getting nowhere because the unions had politicians in their pocket.
It was disgusting reading about family members caring for a severely disabled son or daughter having money taken from them and directed to unions.
The unions claim its for increased pay and other garbage, and hope people don’t realize that increased pay the unions demand comes from taxpayers.
If I were in that situation, I would be researching exactly what the union was providing to any family stuck in that situation.
Then I would sue for lack of representation after having money confiscated from my disabled son or daughter.
And I would be damn sure I knew of every politician that supported that crap.
What’s even more disgusting about this is that the Supreme Court ruled this union funding scheme as unconstitutional in 2014.
….and the unions have been working with politicians since to create rules changes to get around that ruling since.
Yet some commenters here are bitching about some porn star.
Tim Walz would have more credibility if he showed as much concern with Sharon Helman killing at least 40 vets.
Or with holding hundreds accountable in VAs across the country committing fraud for bonuses.
Or in holding Graves, et. al. Accountable for travel fraud.
Or in holding VSOs accountable for actually assisting their members under their tax exempt status.
Or in numerous hearings where VA officials committed perjury when lying under oath about the Choice program.
Or in holding contractors like HealthNet and TriWest accountable for millions in billing fraud.
As for the AFGE and Tim Walz losing campaign donations, I believe the AFGE recently endorsed his campaign.
No. Tim Walz doesn’t give a shit about veterans. He, like other politicians, is only concerned for his political career and what might give him favorable headlines.
As it is, unions are faced with losing millions if they are stopped in ripping off caregivers on Medicaid for caring for their family members. They have ripped off over a billion dollars by getting rules changes where union fees are paid to them prior to the caregiver seeing any assistance from the states they live in.
The DEMs are only too happy to refer a Trump minion to the DOJ. It’s politics. The DEMs are nutless and know darn well that Sessions and his Deep State NWO Jewluminazibergs won’t do anything anyway. Wait a sec – did I get that wackbards? Oh – that’s right. it doesn’t matter.
Here’s the thing I’ve noticed going to the VA over 25 years. The Dr’s won’t cross that thin white line and put any kind of notes in your file showing you were harmed by another VA Dr. or VA employee that had anything to do with it, they will usually just copy and paste whatever the other Dr’s excuse that was put in, otherwise they know they will feel heat from above in upper management. I’ve seen too many Dr’s that have the VA’s interest in mind and NOT the Vet’s. It’s still the same ole “Make the Vet’s jump through so many hoops till they give up” syndrome. Upper management like this guy- I think the first class they have to go to is “How to lie to Congress and get away with it- 101″….
I have noticed that too r, now that’s medical incompetence and criminality. Dr’s at the VA use the phrase, “Do No Harm First”, as a cocktail party joke. The VA will refuse to acknowledge what a misdiagnosis form another VA Dr can do to a persons health and life. The scum at the Lebannon VAMC tried to kill me and destroy my life, all indirectly of course, but I can’t see it any other way, and neither can any other sane institution. The VA dosn’t seem to hold much credence in the civilian world, thank God, but correcting some Lebannon VA quacks misdiagnosis can be a life long event. But as usual the Lebannon VAMC failed, and I live to fight another day.
I predict he will use the “Hillary’s Emails” defense and be completely absolved. And, this will happen without burdening the taxpayers with a costly investigation. After all, he was only lying, and no one was really harmed except veterans.
@ron
More and more veterans are starting to understand …. well said
Meanwhile Vets are still lingering in Appeals Limbo Hell….. My Notice of Disagreement started in July 2016. I opted into RAMP May 3, 2018. Still waiting. ……..and waiting……
@Dan
Well said on both counts.
But you left out the part about the GOP getting their money from special donors who want to buy beneficial laws and regulations.
Solving the political malaise in the US could be solved, I think easily.
1. Meet and greet campaigning
2. No paid advertising
3. No campaign donations
4. Use National Public Radio and Television for 5 debates and 5 town hall meetings per candidate
5. Lower the congressional and senatorial pay scale
6. Dramatically reduce the retirement benefits
And, 7. Make it illegal for a senator or congress person to be a lawyer. (Most important)
#29,
I would add, once one is in office – they must work 11 months per year.
Like the military, one month paid vacation/leave!
Sounds like sessions will decline to investigate. I applaud anyone who have the smarts and have listed to veteran’s.
Veterans have been calling on oir elected officials to get oir justice department involved.
Now the ball is in the justice department court.
I hope this will be executed by our legal system and more VA employees are referred to our justice department for prosecution.
Since they are charging him with lying !
Any employee who has been identified as lying to investigators or to any committee should be told that these law’s under oath apply to all of them.
Those that plead the fifth. Automatically be forwarded to our Justice department for prosecution or review.
Our justice department should become involved and find out exactly what or why the VA regional office is going after veteran’s who fought for this country and have been rated as being total and permanent.
In the next 5 years, if the VA stays on track. They will have wrongfully gone after 666, 666 total veteran’s who have been rated as being total and permanent.
The VA will spend over 100 million dollar’s going after veteran’s who have been rated as being total.
The office of special counsel calls their misdeeds uncalled for and a waste of money.
They want to rain in waste and abuse.
This is way beyond waste and abuse. It’s really criminal in nature.
I just home our elected officials never stop referring these types of cases to our Justice department for prosecution.
If they do. Our justice system just may need to hire new judges or pay our current judges over time.
I believe if our justice department becomes involved in many of actions by VA employees are charged with a crime and be forced to go in front of a real judge and faces a fine or jail time.
Will they start doing their job’s properly or face prosecution. This includes anything and everything civilians out side the VA do.
Jeff sessions, I believe will not do his job and not do anything.
The ONLY reason the Democrats are picked off so bad is from the recent SCOTUS decision that says these Unions cant steal money from people and then donate it to the Democrats, and yes I would be saying the same thing if they were donating it to the Republicans. Its not their damn money! I dont have a problem with it if the person making the money wants to make the donation, but I have a MAJOR freaking problem with it when a Union steals money from your paycheck and then gives it to a party that you may not agree with. Thats why the Democrats are so upset as they know that their money-bags Unions are toast and will NOT legally be able to donate any more of their stolen money to them, thus cutting into their ability to campaign unless they get off their ass and do it the old fashioned way, by meets and greets.
Everyone has covered the bases on democrips, O’Rourke and Missal.
It’s kinda like the “kettle calling the pot black!” The democrips are basically “grandstanding” in the hopes of getting veterans to vote for them! There’s definitely more vets out there that VA employees!
And, for some reason the only “party” standing in the way to privatize the VA, is the Dems! Still, one cannot rule out the Rino’s!
In my opinion, that “blue wave” the Dems keep talking about, is nothing more than a “small piss stream”!
————-
Before anyone starts cutting me down, those are only my opinions!
Totally agree with you Elf!
Elf, did you hear that Mark Fuckerberg has set up a new non-profit tax dodge for major corporations and to provide money to the dems. The name of the non-profit is FWD.us which has been setup as a Lobbying group; United States IRS exemption status: 501(c)(4).
With the way that it is set up. Companies like United Airlines give free flights to illegal immigrants and then write off the full price of the cost of the ticket as a charitable contribution. Then Fuckerberg’s non-profit then gives the Dems their cut via lobby bucks.
So essentially the airline gets to fill an empty seat and write off the full price of the ticket against their taxes and look like heros while not paying taxes. While Fuckerberg’s non-profit gets to feed congress lobby bucks with the unpaid-ed taxes to support any causes he wishes to lobby for basically using taxpayer money.
Here is an example:
“United Airlines Gives Free Flights To Illegal Immigrants”
Molly Prince | Reporter | Daily Caller News Foundation
2:30 PM 07/27/2018
“United Airlines revealed the company will provide complimentary flights to families who were separated as they illegally crossed over the United States border.
United is partnering with FWD.us, an advocacy group known for defending illegal immigrant rights, which made the announcement Wednesday.”
“https://dailycaller.com/2018/07/27/united-airlines-free-flights-illegal-immigrants/
Also see: FWD.us Wikipedia
At: “https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FWD.us”
Seymore,
I hadn’t heard about this.
Looking into it, seems Fuckerburg needs to do something, since he’s lost a shitpot full of money recently.
Gotta be something illegal about this shit!
Glad O’Rourke’s name will no longer be on my TDIU appeal at the CAVC but wonder about the under Secretary who will have to process the BVA remand for the 1987 claim that was never processed. Due TDIU from 1987 to 2009. Have it from 2009 to present but will probably lose it because my seizures have finally been treated successfully.
Finally got my C&P exam date.
Glad to hear that WC, lot of luck
ty Sir hope I get some good goddamned news…
The lack of Whistle blower protection has been a major problem at the VA for decades. But with all the attention that the VA has been getting in recent years it is still a major problem. A problem that has increased while Missal has been the VAIG. Or is it to soon to call him the former VAIG.
Missal knows that he is about to be fired this created problem between O’Rourke and Missal is nothing more than Missal trying to set up a larger severance package. This way the master of harassing whistle blowers, “Missal”, will be able to claim that he is being fired for being a whistle Blower.
Given Tim Waltz is not running for re-election to Congress this year but is instead running for Governor he thinks that his current action might make him look like he is standing up to Trump. Tim, sorry but you truly do not stand a chance of winning the Governor’s seat.
Political Grand standing by Waltz and fighting for a bigger severance package by Missal.
Whoops sorry Tim maybe you do stand a chance.
Rep. Tim Walz Wants Recreational Marijuana Legalized in Minnesota
By Southern Minnesota News
Sep 7, 2017
“(Mankato, MN) – Congressman Tim Walz of Mankato says it’s time for Minnesota to make recreational marijuana legal for adults.
Walz, who’s running for governor in 2018, says the current policies on pot have failed to curb use, created a black market of untested products and led to racial inequities in the criminal justice system.
Walz says he supports creating a system of smart and enforceable regulation of marijuana sales, sales which would provide new opportunities for agriculture in the state and benefit Minnesota’s economy.”
“https://www.southernminnesotanews.com/rep-walz-wants-recreational-marijuana-legalized-minnesota/”
Sounds like Walz is living in the real world….. don’t bigart that joint, pass it on.
SK: I met Walz before he went to Congress. Pretty well grounded guy IMO. I ran into him once in DC – he hated that place.
#29 The definition of a bigart is a racist who won’t share his dope?
Speaking of unreal worlds. Here in Littletown Oregon, we have a brand now COBC that has a brand new cannabis shoppe across the street and a craft brewery next door. Where else can a guy walk out of a counselling session, go a across the street for a wee bit of greenery, and head back across the street to get a brewsky? Gotta be careful though. I swear the sign on the brewery said “BEER” and “TAMPON”. I still went in anyway, but my curiosity was dashed when I realized it was TAPROOM”.
Oh pleeze, this is not about helping veterans…this is the Democrats taking a stab at Trump and grandstanding for upcoming elections.
Nothing to see here…just another trick and pony show that will go nowhere.
TaB why are you defending trump?
Remember drumph hires only the best people, think Pruitt, Price, et el.
I don’t think this is a stab at trump, maybe, just maybe, Congress is finally doing something to protect and help veterans who depend on the vha and the vba. Comrade trump has displayed a total lack of management skills as well as an adversity to the truth and he is picking people who have the same mindset and moral compass. Remember , Trump has, just recently, asked the VFW to “don’t believe what you see ….. believe me”. A pure Orwellian statement at best, an outright lie at worst!!
I hope one day that my fellow veterans begin thinking about trump as a 5 time draft dodger, a spoiled punk who inherited billions, a pathological liar and as a stain on the office of president……. give me Nixon or Clinton anytime over this self serving asshole.
#29,
Go back a few days ago, on Ben’s blog, on what the VFW upper echelon said about their own membership. I put the statement made by the VFW in the comments section!
The VFW upper crust, from state level on up, is just like the DAV. Liars, thieves and outdated assholes! They don’t give a RATS ASS about veterans!
And you are doing the exact same thing you are claiming he is doing #29, so tell us, why should we take your post any more seriously then you took his? Or not use the same disdain to you that you are using to him?
I am not defending Trump. I am stating a fact.
The Democrats had years to fix the VA. If the President now was Obama, I’m sure the Republicans would be poking holes at the VA too – in order to get votes.
I am very upset that Trump hasn’t done a thing to help the VA – besides sign into law things that no one enforces.
I don’t play sides. If Trump is wrong, I’ll say it. If Democrats are wrong, I’ll also say it.
@#29 That Would Require 90% of these Vets to Use 10% of their Brain, Ben Included, they have to tow the Republican mantle no matter how Stupid or Ignorant they look. I forgot they do have to Bring up Clintons Emails again as if that will end all Humanity, it’s Cognitive Dissonance X100 when you hear or talk to these Robots…
Get overbuy libtatd Trump is the best thing that has happened to us vets and by the way get your CNN facts straight he was left ONE million by his father it’s you demorats that are the problem and your half truths
Sometimes people are placed in office for reasons other than actually executing a role.
I find your comments both non-factual and political— if you have facts to support your raving, please post them. Other wise sit down and shut up until you do‼️ I am sick of people are so darn negative about everything.
?????????⚔️?????????
“ GARRYOWEN “
Also, contained in the Attorney General’s response is” WE ACTUALLY CONDONE FELONY PERJURY, AND WE REFER YOU TO THE DEPUTY AG’s, RODDIE ROSENTSaIN’s INTENTIONAL SWEARING FALSELY TO THE AFFIDAVIT TO SECURE THE PHONY WARRANT BASED UPON THE FALSE EVIDENCE PRODUCED BY HILLARY CLINTON’S BRIBE TO RUSSIAN AGENTS”
So what did Papa Trump do with the rest of his millions and properties? You know the ones he excluded blacks from renting, etc?
I predict it will be blamed on flying pigs from Russia and a Kardashian will get a new pimple on her ass and USA ‘s attention go to another ass,not the VA.
(Congress Critters referring O’Rourke to DOJ is nothing but smoke & mirrors from the spokes of stairmasters)
O’Rourke Enterprises, F Troop, Where’s Capt. Parmenter
Col: But you made that treaty in good faith, I was even told you smoked a peace pipe.
Chief Wild Eagle: I didn’t inhale