Coup Insider Curt Cashour Out As VA Press Secretary Say Sources
The ousting of one of the Shulkin coup insiders is underway. According to those familiar with the situation, VA press secretary Curt Cashour is reportedly on his way out as VA press secretary.
Press secretary Curt Cashour and Assistant Secretary for Public and Intergovernmental Affairs John Ullyot engaged in a communications coup against former Secretary David Shulkin in February that undermined his credibility with President Donald Trump. Shulkin was ultimately fired by Trump. Now, as the newly confirmed Secretary Robert Wilkie is in the process of onboarding, Cashour is reportedly out of a job.
Prior to working at VA, Cashour worked as communications director for the House Committee on Veterans Affairs under retired chairman Jeff Miller. After Trump’s election, Cashour received a job offer inside VA as its press secretary.
A couple things about his performance at the agency.
He was big on being quoted in the press whenever reporters sought comment from the agency. I always felt this was inappropriate as it seemed like he was elevating his star above the Secretary or the needs of the agency. Personally, I did not like that approach for a federal agency.
Cashour also reportedly restricted access to comments to members of the press and generally tried to spin any comment such that the comment was useless or not on point. If you were a smaller publisher like DisabledVeterans.org, you may not get a quote or comment of any kind. This, of course, makes no sense since the public affairs department of the agency has a large number of employees for just that purpose.
He also had a flair for using unjustified modifiers in his press releases that turned them from merely reporting news to pieces of propaganda that did not fool anyone. He recently claimed the agency’s policies revealed “unprecedented…transparency,” which was all know is false given current withholding of records from IG to investigate whistleblower retaliation.
So, needless to say, I am glad he is gone – or is about to be gone – but I have no hard feelings. Though, I cannot say the same for Shulkin, who is probably still rather salty about the coup.
UPDATE 7/31/2018: Over the weekend, Washington Post covered possible removal or reassignment of Cashour, Ullyot, and some others in VA leadership considered Trump loyalists. Monday, Cashour responded asserting the allegations were false. We shall see.
See Update: WaPo Lisa Rein vs Curt Cashour
following
Statistically speaking a Magic Eight ball on average tells the truth more than any VA press secretary ever did. Why don’t we dispense with the cost of a paid VA PR guy and just hire Magic Eight Ball readers for press events? We could provide Magic Balls in every language and work with IBM to develop braille versions as well.
If we got some magic balls and VA folks trained to handle them truthfully for the press then we could both rely on the data more consistently than VA PR folks on average and nobody would even have the balls for such things as a coup or politics. The magic 8 balls would only have answers which is what VA currently provides but they just do not have the right kind of balls to be as accurate. The magic 8 balls would be veteran centric. OIG could oversee the handling of the balls and has a history of leadership verifiably experienced in such matters.
This is a realistic real world solution.
VA handling magic balls…Dennis I thought you didn’t like the LGBT community?
eight balls. That sir is a group grope of four veterans …. assuming everyone is intact.
I wonder if that qualifies for a group grope rate…somebody call Groupon…and the TSA.
FONDLE MUH BALLZ I HAZ A COOPON!!
Maybe he use this phrase, YOUR FIRED in his next press secretary job if he ever lands one again
Juan,
Maybe he’ll go to work for CNN, MSNBC or some other MSM outlet. Like that proven “communist”, ex-cia director Brennan. Or other people like Clapper.
They’re all alike! Liars, thieves and paid assholes for the special interest groups and unions in Washington DC and around the country!
New mouthpiece for the AFGE?
So when’s the replacement Grima Wormtongue coming in?
“Cashcow Cashour” definitely hurt every vet who uses the VA for benefits or medical. He knew how to do one thing, in my opinion. That is: “propagandize what VA is doing for vets!”
If he wanted to help vets, he’d be telling the truth! Only, it seems, the only thing those in Washington DC and across the country know how to do is – LIE!
In my opinion, there’s gonna be another 1775 occurrence, (Concord and Lexington), happening in the near future. When it comes, GOD help those who are trying to destroy our Republic!
I can’t wait for the revolution. Things brought to a head. Pots boiling over. Things wiped clean and made fresh. The corrupt purged in the holy flames of Patriotism. Can I get an amen?
Well that certainly means that anyone owning stock in Preparation H need to dump it in a hurry. With all the smoke Cashcow has been blowing up our tookuses it was really getting chapped back there.
Did you see this before?
“https://www.frontpagemag.com/fpm/201297/252-examples-obamas-lies-lawbreaking-corruption-tim-brown”
252 EXAMPLES OF OBAMA’S LIES, LAWBREAKING & CORRUPTION
The dirty dealings of the White House.
August 20, 2013 Tim Brown
Damn, katterkat, that’s only through his first term and about eight months into his second term!!!
Has anyone published all the lies and corruption he did at the end of the second term?
You do have to give credit where credit is due. Pulling off all that criminal behavior without indictments suggests a far greater set of skills and intellect.
But – sometimes we take stuff too seriously. Laughter is the best medicine – always has been, always will be.
I give you Randy Rainbow.
@Windguy
there aren’t enough internets to award you for this 😀 😀 😀