West Virginia Rejects Roseburg VA Director Doug Paxton Like A Boss
In a bold move, West Virginians rejected the Department of Veterans Affairs’ plan to rotate its failed Roseburg VA director into the Huntington VA facility.
For years, rather than firing failed leaders, VA has been allowed to merely shuffle them around, like on a sick merry-go-round, from facility to facility, until they retire. But not in West Virginia after Charleston Mayor Danny Jones had his way with former Roseburg VA director Doug Paxton.
RELATED: The Bad VA Boss Merry-Go-Round
Last week, VA announced its plans to replace Paxton and rotate him to Huntington VA after NY Times exposed the facility’s death panel and related practices that effectively withheld healthcare from rural veterans. Once Jones found out about the move, he called US Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., to protest. Senator Manchin quickly got the move canceled.
Is there more to the story? Yes, yes there is.
Jones is not just a mayor. He is a veteran with integrity and passion for his local veterans.
Mayor Rejection Of Doug Paxton
In an interview, he acknowledged the problems West Virginia is facing that include the loss of local coal jobs and an opioid painkiller crisis. And he concluded that no one needs to add the problems of Roseburg VA to those already facing Huntington VA.
“I feel very good about what we accomplished, and he’s not coming here. I don’t know the guy, I don’t know anything about it, but why would this be happening if he was going to be a plus? We just don’t need it here,” Jones said.
RELATED: West Haven VA Leaves Scalpel In Veteran
Senator Rejection Of Doug Paxton
On Manchin’s website, you can see his request for VA to reconsider dumping Paxton on his fellow West Virginians.
“Our Veterans deserve the best healthcare available and I was deeply disappointed to hear of what happened under Douglas Paxton’s watch at the Roseburg VA facility in Oregon,” Manchin said in a written statement. “These types of reassignment policies are exactly the thing that prevents the VA from providing our Veterans with consistent high-quality healthcare and services of which they are so deserving.”
RELATED: Bribery Scheme Exposed At West Los Angeles VA
Other States Should Follow Suit
This is a simple example of two public servants working together to keep their veterans safe by letting VA know they will not accept the agency’s trash leaders in their cities.
Federal agencies like VA often forget that while the individual is off duty, they need to live somewhere, eat somewhere, shop somewhere, go to church somewhere. Their kids go to local schools. Their spouses work at local companies.
These are the touch points where local stakeholders can make a difference.
In West Virginia, their elected officials took a simple stand asking VA to keep its trash employees away from their state, like a boss.
And, the fed listened. Paxton is not going to West Virginia.
Bravo.
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Fuck the VA
Doug Paxton is actually a veteran himself and made a lot of good positive changes over these last 3 years. Most of the disgruntled employees who are getting spotlighted in the press are not Veterans and were not good employees. They are not “whistle blowers”. Sleeping on the job and sharing your passwords with other employees is not what good employees do. These people were fired for solid justifiable reasons. Congressman DeFazio is using the Contracted ER doctors and former employees to keep himself in the spotlight and to keep the bad press churning. I am a disabled veteran who works at the Roseburg VA and also gets my medical care here. This is a beautiful place to work and I work on a terrific team.
and he actually removed 2 of the 4 most senior leaders at our site, so your comment on his picture is inaccurate. He replaced our Nursing Exec and the Associate Director. It is a slow process changing leadership, but changes are being made.
Keleen, if you read a few comments here about a veteran named Dennis or do some searching on the Chief of Staff there, Ranjan, it becomes rather clear Paxton was either clueless or corrupt.
Neither is good when it comes to veterans being denied care.
That is not true. You are only getting one side of the story. It takes a long time to remove staff in the VA. Doug Paxton had only been in Roseburg for about 3 years. He was already getting ready to transfer to another site. He is the best Director we’ve had in the last 10 years and the only one that was a Veteran. Don’t believe what the News Review is spinning.
Keleen, I don’t believe much of what I read in the news, particularly about the VA.
I do believe what a veteran named Dennis describes of how severely he has been treated for a very long time by staff at Roseburg.
Considering how long those staff have gotten away with that, Paxton had to be clueless about what was going on in his own hospital.
No Keleen. You are flat out wrong. Somebody put something in your koolaid.
No Keleen. Those removals were already on tap when he started. He supported a Chief of Surgery who was found by the VA’s own OIG to be practsing outdated medicine & left that surgeon in his position to harm more veterans. Are you Doug’s girlfriend or something?
No, they weren’t on tap, the Nursing Exec and staff below her were not even ones I agreed with, and the AD’s removal was just this last year. After the OIG finding, D.Ranjan was removed as the Chief of Staff and became the Chief of another service under the COS. That was about 3 years ago.
Do you always mock when you can’t discuss?
Keleen, I see you have not responded to any comment I have made suggesting you read Dennis’ comments here about his experiences, or lack thereof, at Roseburg.
Unless you read those comments, you will never truly understand the evil that works at Roseburg. I understand you may work in an area where you would never be familiar with veterans such as Dennis, but given what has happened with him and other veterans, Paxton sure as hell should have been familiar with Dennis, as should have been Ranjan and his wife. If they were not intimately aware of what staff has been doing to Dennis and others, then they are incompetent.
Until you read those comments by Dennis and get a firm understanding of how horribly veterans have been treated at Roseburg, you should stop blowing smoke up our ass about what a great guy Paxton was.
If he wanted to collect a paycheck as Director, he needs to collect the responsibility of his office as well.
I will make it easy for you Keleen. Go back to each days column posted here by Ben for the last 3 week’s.
Search for “Dennis” in the comments. Read them. Assess what responsibility Paxton had. Determine if your views of him may have changed.
The simple fact that someone is a Veteran doesn’t mean jack shit, there are Veteran rapists, murderers, thieves, liars, you name it, they are Veterans, and some of those bastard type Veterans I mentioned even become VAMC Directors.
What pisses us off is when a so called Veteran, who is also in a position to help honorable Veterans, doesn’t do so, but instead turns a blind eye to what’s going on under his own nose. That makes them complicate in the criminal act.
At Roseburg VAMC you have a rouge DBC, that needs to be imprisoned, so much for what a great Director Paxton is/was.
Your facility is illegally withholding medical care for an extremely honorable Veteran, you as an employee of this facility have no leg to stand on.
Until this honorable Veteran receives justice, and those responsible for his demise are prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law, it is a black eye on every single VA employee at Roseburg.
P
E
R
I
O
D !!!!!
Awww what’s the matter Keleen? you can’t handle the truth?
Not at all. You will believe what you want.
Good to know.
Keleen? How much are you being paid or what kind of promotion have you been promised. You are wrong about the employees who have spoken up. Philo Calhoun, of whom Defazio spoke, win his OSC case against all the managers who are now being reassigned. There are many more who have not een in the spotlight. The contract doctors you speak about spoke up on their own after YEARS of trying to get Paxton to listen. Paxton & his cronies actually belong in a more confined restitution but karma will take care of that. Take your blinders off & give up your greed Keleen.
You are delusional. Calhoun lurked around our hallway trying to eavesdrop on everyone. We reported him at least twice, if he had been providing good patient care, he wouldn’t have even been in our areas.
Yes, there have been cases won, several over the years, but all with different leadership. After each of those, changes were made.
Paxton only worked in Roseburg for 3 years, and I believe that these Contract Doctors have only been there for 2, so unsure of the YEARs that you are talking about. Take your blinders off.
Common drug for PTSD doesn’t stem nightmares, sleep problems in veterans
REUTERS
Published Feb 8, 2018
“The blood pressure drug prazosin, widely prescribed to relieve symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), has failed to show it can reduce distressing dreams or improve sleep quality in a trial of 304 military veterans at 13 Veterans Affairs medical centers.
After 10 weeks of therapy with the generic drug, which costs about a nickel per pill, recipients had no significant reduction in recurrent nightmares or easier sleep compared to veterans receiving placebo.”
Sixteen weeks later, even after doctors were allowed to add some other treatments, there was still no difference between the two groups.”
Full Article At: https://www.deccanchronicle.com/lifestyle/health-and-wellbeing/080218/common-drug-for-ptsd-doesnt-stem-nightmares-sleep-problems-in-vete.html
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Don’t worry the VA Witch Doctoring Nurses pushing pills will find another silver bullet pill to try next to help get the number of Veterans with PTSD down. Just as soon as they find something a little more toxic and even deadlier to prescribe.
Although they better do it quick or they might lose a few more lab rats who find out about the benefits of marijuana and stop taking all meds from the VA.
Illinois lawmakers frustrated with slow answers about Quincy home
By Benjamin Yount
Illinois News Network
7 hrs ago
“Illinois lawmakers are running out of patience with the state’s Public Health and Veterans Affairs departments over unanswered questions about the Legionnaires outbreaks at the Quincy veterans home.
Both Republicans and Democrats at Wednesday’s latest statehouse hearing into Legionnaires at the Quincy home found themselves asking the same question as Sen. Paul Schimpf.
“If we didn’t have Legionaires under control in 2015, why is it now 2018 before we are receiving this kind of a report?” Schmipf asked about a new update from IPDH and the Illinois VA that was delivered just this week. “Why wasn’t something like this done in 2016?””
“The answer, after a number of attempted explanations, is that the agencies commissioned a report, but lawmakers never asked to see it. That didn’t do much to ease tensions.
State Sen. Cristina Castro, D-Elgin, told agency leaders that it shouldn’t be this hard to get what should be basic answers.
“Isn’t this about finding out where we went wrong and how we can do better?” Castro asked at Wednesday’s hearing. “It just seems like a lot of Keystone Cops, he said-she said, and riddle me this Batman.”
But state Rep. Chris Welch, D-Chicago, went further.
“It seems to me that there seems to be some type of cover-up,” Welch said, before being chastised for turning the hearing into political theater.”
Illinois Public Health director Nirav Shah shouted that idea down.
“Your assumption that there is a cover-up at play is 150,000 times rejected,” Shah blasted back. “And it is wholly rejected.”
When pressed about emails from Gov. Bruce Rauner’s office and other communications that may shed light on how the administration responded to problems at the home in 2016 and 2017, Shah said lawmakers will need to FOIA that information.”
Full Article At: https://www.ilnews.org/news/health/illinois-lawmakers-frustrated-with-slow-answers-about-quincy-home/article_85558c3e-0c37-11e8-9c30-6b429bd56438.html
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So with the with the mid-term election just around the corner Lawmakers are starting to sound like they are trying to do their jobs, Not!!!
With the dead bodies of Veterans dying from Legionnaires’ disease at the Quincy veterans home stacking up for more than 4 years now. Also with election time emanated the phonies in office are starting to show concern about the never ending body count.
Their bogus concern should last well up until election day anyway.
The mere fact that they were going to transfer someone who caused the deaths of veterans tells you that Shulkin is NOT DOING HIS JOB and should be replaced, We are tired of the sneaky shit, when they ask us to “trust” them.
Exactly, Point On. Been saying this for a long time already. But after watching the Address, it seems as though Shulkin may have Trump’s ear. And I hope its from a distance, so that he can easily say “You’re Fired.” IMO, should’ve done it already. Shulkin adds no support for me, or other Vets as far as I’m concerned.
Glad to hear West Virginia veterans dodged a shitbird bullet. Why does not the VA just fire folks like this outright? Good to see West Virginians have a Mayor and United States Senator who are on the ball. Those two working together definitely achieved a “good veteran outcome” for all veterans in their state.
Wish all veterans had outcomes as good as this one.
Question is: Where will the VA Shuffle place this shitbird next? What veterans will suffer in lieu of West Virginia veterans?
Thank you Mr. Jones! Thank you Mr. Manchin!
posted this on RallyPoint, Veterans and active duty forum and social media, hopefully this gets xposted a lot more. Good job
You watch. The next big story about VA Roseburg is going to have something to do with opiate/opiod now that this guy is gone to shield what is really going on. Mark my words.
Dennis, I have been meaning to say something to you, but I can’t quite find the proper wording to fit what I would like to say. Over the past 3 or 4 months, you have been opening up to us here, an awful lot about very personal information about yourself. I have learned a lot about you, and I can say I am extremely impressed about the man you have grown into, after going through the hardships you have gone through. Not many people can say they have walked in your shoes. I find you to be a genuinely honest person, and the kind of person all should strive to be. I am also humbled by the fact you felt comfortable enough to share your life’s experienced with us. I wish I could do the same, but I am not at that place yet, I don’t know if I ever will be. You lead by example, and your one hell of an example to follow.
I hope that makes sense, anyway, thank you.
@cj,
I was asked by my friend the reporter to seek a particular counsellor out that she knew and who she had told my story to. My VA paid for counsellor and I had parted in great respect but after a few years she suggested too I had learned from her all I could and might investigate a person who specialized in “deep trauma”. I learned a GREAT deal from her but her techniques had been learned and I do not care for chit-chat therapy.
I only went to the new guy once because of a friendship promise to the reporter. He was a nice guy and knew all about the VA but also a much more complete story about lifes troubles lolz. He was not VA and operated out the back of a church.
After a few minutes he asked me, “What is it you want to,know most right now?” I said, “I want to know what my job is in life? I can’t seem to find any purpose and it seems empty to me.”
He told me something I will pass on to you that kind of shocked me to be honest. He said, “Maybe it’s your purpose to inspire others.” I said, “Are you kidding me? How do you think a guy like me would ever inspire anyone?”
He said, “Just keep being you.” My advice to you also cj and thank you for such inspirational words.
I agree CJ. Dennis sure as hell opened my eyes on some things going on in the VA.
This is a very interesting move or admission by the VA.
Why?
Well, Paxton was moving to WV. The VA didn’t announce much why, but if most uninformed people would have asked, the VA likely would have spouted some BS about it not being an unusual transfer of an administrator from one place to another.
They might even push the envelope and claim its “for the veterans”.
This sudden cancellation of his transfer is an admission by the VA that Paxton is not worthy of the position they intended to put him in.
This raises the question, if a mayor and a Senator can stop the transfer so easily, what does the VA know about Paxton? If what they know about Paxton is bad enough to cancel his transfer after minimal push back, why is it not bad enough to fire him?
That question should be answered before the VA is allowed to quietly shuffle this buffoon off to some other VA where there might not be push back from local politicians.
Send him to Cashours office if the VA is so sure he needs to be a VA employee.
For the veterans.
91Veteran,
What you wrote should go for any and all upper echelon VA employees.
Here is an example of an entry made into my personal medical record by a social worker at Roseburg VA under the leadership of Paxton and his merry band on 06/30/2016. Look carefully at the first words of a single 13 PAGE entry into my record placed there by a VA employee:
Remember this is entered into my personal medical record as a medical entry. I am just pasting the top paragraph:
“Byline: Randi Bjornstad The Register-Guard
Editor’s note: On Aug. 2, The Register-Guard published Part 1 of veteran Dennis Parker’s story about his early life, military service and subsequent struggles with post-traumatic stress disorder, which can be read at registerguard.com. This installment details Parker’s difficulties obtaining physical and mental health treatment through the U.S. Veterans Health Administration.”
…and then 13 pages as formatted in PDF format from Blue Button data of the COMPLETE newpaper article word for word as written in the newspaper!!! They entered a newpaper article into my medical record.
What in the hell is a social worker doing inputting the complete news text of a damning article about multiples of her own co-workers in upper management into my personal health record for? They must be saying this is theraputically relevent however the words entered were written by a reporter, not me and not a doctor and not even the social worker except to sign off on being the one who entered the note.
In those 13 pages though it sure does outline in advance what Congressman Defazio later went to the floor of Congress to plead be changed about VA but look at the culture of healthcare of a crew that would even choose to place the entire copy of a newspaper story into my personal health record as a medical entry??? I did not write the words a damn reporter did. I realize it might not seem evil to others to use a medical record this way but I do. Moving Paxton out really does not address the underlying rot. The next one will be the same thing me thinks. (I called the VA hotline today and they said they had never seen it take this long for them to secure an appointment for a vet and said he had no clue why) duh.
Dennis, I am not surprised. Last year when I received a FOIA for records I requested from my local VA. They provided about 120 some pages pertaining to what I asked for. Since it was not a specific document I was looking for, and since several offices within my VA could have responded, the request had to be sent to those offices.
Your comment explains why I got several copies of the exact same document.
It was a copy of a local news article in which I was quoted saying what I thought of the VA at that BS Save Our System town hall by the Legion. Somebody at the VA was concerned enough over bad press that they made copies and distributed them to various offices. Several offices seemed to think it was some official record since they not only retained it for some time after the town hall, they were able to respond to a FOIA request with it.
I don’t know if it ended up as an entry in my medical record.
I suspect if you asked them why it is a part of your record, if they responded, they would likely claim they were doing it to make sure any provider you encountered was fully aware of your health concerns…or some such hogwash.
I forgot to ask Dennis. Did you ask the hotline what they are doing about the lack of response from Roseburg?
I would like to know as well 91, and Dennis. It is my belief the DCVA Hotline is nothing more than smoke and mirrors. You call, you make a complaint, they assign a case number to it, then they pass it on to the very people your complaining about. The people your complaining about says fuck you, and then the VA emails the Hotline and says, we have addressed the issue, when they have not. The DCVA Hotline is manned by Veterans, but they are also card carrying members of the AFGE, and are all VA employees, assigned by “Shithead Shill-kin” himself.
Has anyone received a satisfactory outcome to any serious complaints? We should start listing them here so we can get a handle on this Hotline to see if it is helping or if it’s just another AFGE money grab.
I believe the hotline works, depending on the complexity of the issue being reported by a veteran, and the willingness of some local VA staffer to address the problem.
I have called it once about Choice bills not being paid after I got a letter from a collections agency. I called different levels of bureaucracy explaining why I called, and that I planned on calling the hotline if needed to get it fixed. It took a couple days of calling bureaucracy and gathering details before I got to the hotline. Within the period they told me it would be addressed, I got a call from a local VA person specifically assigned to handle Choice billing problems. She had the contact information of the Choice provider that was owed for the appointment and said she would take care of it. I don’t know if the problem was resolved and the provider paid, but I never heard from the provider, the collection agency or the VA again on it.
I got a call from another VA staffer shortly after believing it pertained to her area. I explained what the issue was and she seemed relieved to hear it did not pertain to her.
I have read other comments from veterans on Facebook and elsewhere about it working after long attempts at dealing with problems locally. I have heard of others not having much success.
I have never heard of a problem as severe as Dennis’, and nothing being done to fix it locally, even after several calls to the hotline.
I strongly believe veterans should use it because it creates a record of problems at specific VA hospitals, or within specific hospitals. It also creates a record of just how incredibly worthless the VA IG office is.
At some point, the statistics of calls for certain hospitals has got to raise huge red flags. Either Shulkin addresses those problems, or he gets to explain why he didn’t, and look for another job.
Based on some things I see happening over the past month, I think there are several VA directors and other managers that are now concerned over being yanked out of their comfy chair, and forced to explain their incompetence, or forced to pack their shit up and move across country like Paxton. Some might be used to moving around every other year. Others might like where they are and want to stay. Some might like the little scams they have going on, or some might not want to address why they haven’t fixed problems they have known about for years.
They are realizing they cannot be covered by VA HQ any more. The letters sent to the White House from the OSC about the VA not taking action at Manchester seems to have rattled some cages all the way to Shulkins office. Several managers there being relieved of their duties got someone’s attention. Paxton being forced out along with Ranjan has also gotten attention, as will Paxton being blocked from where the VA planned to stuff him.
Excellent reply 91, this is exactly the kind of reply I was looking for. I won’t comment on my outcomes until they are complete one way or another.
At my VAMC, it didn’t have to do with bills, but rather unethical practices by a shrink and pcp, both covered their asses, and yet the VAMC still cound not answer the simple question of how the matter unfolded without going through proper protocol.
My other complaint having to do with using unqualified quacks to determine TBI’s is still open. I will report what if anything, the result was.
I think we should all post how we fared with the DC Hotline, just so they know we are posting results and how we feel about it all.
God Bless West Virginia. About time. Thought Shulkin was better than that….nah, I didn’t.
Yeah send him to another state instead, great way of doing business. Now if the story ended with he was let go and fired then the story would be different. There is not an end to this story, so what is so great about it. He will still go someplace else.
He’ll end up somewhere.
Personally, I’m not seeing “swamps drained”. And the VA has one to make the Everglades envious.
But the illegals sure are ” being taken care of”, with an aggressive application of ICE. Ha!
All we end up being, is, another, hollow campaign promise. “Who doesn’t love our Veterans?” He says?
Heart warming story, to read about the rejection. But these people, all too well, fit the “culture” and they shall thrive. Somewhere.
My first thought is, Okay, where is he going? Will he end up in Washington sitting behind a desk screwing vets? Will they send him to a big city like LA or NY?
It’s really kind of strange, you never hear of a VA Director leaving for the private sector? Why is that? Many in government agencies end up in the private sector, but we never hear of a VA Director going there. Some Directors of private Health Care networks make three and four times what VA Directors make. I guess that alone should tell us something.
You know, come to think of it, how often have you heard of a good doctor at the VA leaving to go into private practice? I am not talking about leaving for another administrative position, or to an academic position, or to another VA. I am talking about entering private practice. I know many who left private practice to join the VA where they have 40 hour work weeks, don’t have to worry about malpractice, get 30 days vacation from jump street and get a retirement plan which would be the envy of any teamster.
DOESN’T THAT TELL YOU OF THE QUALITY OF HEALTHCARE AT THE VA?????
Amen, sir!
Most instances I have heard of of a doctor leaving VA to go into private practice is them leaving within 2 years of starting at the VA.
Question for Anyone to Answer – If you’re positively sure, that your VA Primary Care Provider’s Medical Directive, is life threatening in nature, and breaks the agreement of treatment, then who would you report this too for *Quick* resolve, and to bring attention to the abuse of care, and the intentional infliction of emotional, and physiological distress?
This has to stop. I’m flagged and tagged, and have been dragged around for to long by these incompetent pieces of shit.
Find out what state he is licensed in. Then file a complaint online with the medical board of that state.
@Seymore Klearly – Thanks, this was one option that I had on paper, but was unclear what would be the fastest route in bringing attention to the matter. and to finally let them know, enough is enough.
yoU GOT TO SUE THESE JERKS TO GET THEIR ATTENTION AND BUILD THE CASE WELL FIRST, SET ‘EM UP
Just keep him out of my neck of the woods! I’m going to watch and see where they’ll send him too next!
Please keep us all advised because if they try to place this guy somewhere in the VA I will file charges against the people who place him. Keep it LOUD, FOLLOW HIM WHEREVER HE LANDS, CUZ SHITTY SHULKIN ISN’T GOING TO DO HIS JOB
Just a few minutes ago, on “WDBO” NEWS RADIO, 96.5 FM, the lady, who is a staunch supporter of President Trump and a very conservative voice, has been blasting the VA!
I wish more stations would cover the corruption, waste, fraud and abuse WHICH IS THE VETERANS ADMINISTRATION!
@Crazy elf- I *believe* the word is getting-out and people and Vets are getting bolder and today’s W. Virginia and Paxton blast just shows we are sick of the status-quo and we aren’t going to take this shit anymore as status-quo.
“Ch-ch-ch-changes!”- On that blast-off, and off-topic: You all realize that we yesterday just placed a Tesla Roadster IN ORBIT AROUND EARTH and on it’s way soon towards Mars?!!!!!!!!!!! 😀 😀 😀 (I love rockets, but then again, that’s why I’m former USAF)
Leave it up to the rich to create space waste. Solves nothing, but brings PR to a spacecraft / flights company. I like space too, but what did that do. Oh well, maybe he’ll get a message back after *they* read the LED panel in the vehicle. lol
Right…”Don’t Panic” may mean to an intergalactic alien race as, “cover the earthlings in barbecue sauce and sauté until tender”. 😀
namnibor,
Remember that old “Twilight Zone” episode which ended with the following “line” –
“IT’S A COOKBOOK!”
I know a few electric car charging stations they could have blasted up there so Marvin the Martian could charge his new ride.
What the VA would blast-off into orbit reminds me a bit of the Austin Powers movie where Dr. Evil was cryogenically frozen within an egg within Big Boy’s ass. 😀 (Big Boy in VA case would be AFGE David ‘little’ Cox with the VSO piggies up his ass). 😀
As it should be!
“[Jones is not just a mayor. He is a veteran with integrity and passion for his local veterans.]”
I think we just found a GREAT new VA Sec. candidate that has a serious bug up his ass with the VA…I LOVE THIS MAN (and anyone like him)!!!!!!!!!
Prediction: Paxton will be absorbed into the collective of SES upper level piles of shit in the D.C. swamp until retirement OR they will attempt to quietly give Paxton an early retirement with full benefits.
Dear Oregonians: Please have your groups of angry villagers with pitchforks and torches (poop canons will also do fine) unleash your very own disruptive behavior committee onto Paxton while ‘Mr. Magoo’ is still a moving game piece on the VA’s Whack-A-Mole game board.
They need to flush this turd right out the door. He has done a lot of damage to a lot of Veterans lives. Their is no excuse for keeping this turd working at the VA.
When VA needed landscaping and snow removal, one employee hired her brother for $1 million
By Emily Wax-Thibodeaux
Washington Post
February 7, 2018
“When the Bedford, Mass., VA Medical Center spent $1 million hiring landscapers and ordering rock salt, mulch and crushed stone, one whistleblower in the department found it suspicious that the supplies never showed up.
Turns out they were never delivered and an employee had steered the contract to her brother’s landscaping business, according to a recent investigation by the Office of Special Counsel (OSC), an independent federal agency that investigates whistleblower claims.
The employee was also allowed to keep her federal job. She was demoted only one pay grade, despite President Trump’s VA Accountability Act, which allows quick removal of employees who violate standards or break the law in the troubled agency.
Full Article At: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/checkpoint/wp/2018/02/07/when-va-needed-landscaping-and-snow-removal-one-employee-hired-her-brother-for-1-million”
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Just another VA turd left in the bowl to continue stinking up the place. But hey she only stole one million dollars, in VA terms that would be considered a misdemeanor or ordnance violation at the VA.
Seymore, this case still irritates me because it doesn’t make sense.
They should have very clear evidence of purchase orders, credit card statements, etc., to match up with delivery orders.
Why didn’t she get stomped on for misusing funds, misusing a credit card, incompetence, not keep records of deliveries, theft?
Since she was only demoted one grade, I suspect the VA kept her punishment in-house so as to avoid embarrassing questions.
…and exposing someone else in on the scam.
If there was ever a case of corruption the OSC could prove the VA trying to cover up, this would be it.
91Veteran,
Sorry but I’m going to say – She must be great in the sack!
[I couldn’t help myself]
I’m thinking a million bucks could grease a lot of fat palms with plenty left over.
That is certainly a FELONY for which big time should be served; Where in the hell is the FBI? Oops, no I remember, the FBI is getting paid to fram the President…………………………………..
Instead they should just “fire” the guy. Once the VA, starts shuffling, and another VA, doesn’t want, they will just keeping getting paid, w/o having to actually show up to work.
Maybe Shulkin will create some telework job for him. Creating stats that make the VA look good. Or something.