The Senate Veterans Affairs Committee has postponed a confirmation hearing for Dr. Ronny Jackson, President Donald Trump’s pick for VA Secretary, after allegations of hostile work environments and overprescribing drugs surfaced.
Jackson has served as the White House physician for three presidents and received praise from all of them.
Why are these allegations just now coming out? I’d think claims of overprescribing drugs would have come out a long time ago because we don’t need a careless doctor taking care of our presidents.
Anyway, committee Chairman Sen. Johnny Isakson (R-GA) and ranking member Sen. Jon Tester (D-MT) have asked for “‘any and all communication’ between the Defense Department, the White House Military Office and the White House medical unit ‘regarding allegations or incidents’ involving Dr. Jackson back to 2006.”
2006! And this information is just now getting out!?
No one has provided the media with details, but sources have said the allegations “suggest a pattern of behavior, not just one or two isolated incidents.”
There’s a theory that Dr. Jackson just threw up his hands and decided to let it all go when Trump became president. From The New York Times:
Senators were keeping the details of their investigation under wraps but let it be known that the allegations are serious. Senator Mazie K. Hirono, Democrat of Hawaii and a member of the Veterans Affairs Committee, said she had heard enough from colleagues to have “deep concerns” about the nomination. “This is concerning even for a very ethically challenging White House,” she said.Asked if he still supported the nominee, Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, the majority leader, offered only, “We’re going to wait and see what Senator Isakson and the administration recommend.”Committee Democrats met briefly Monday evening to discuss how to proceed. Mr. Tester is leading the investigation. Mr. Tester met with Mr. Isakson Tuesday morning shortly before announcing the postponement.The White House defended Dr. Jackson’s record in a statement, but did not address the nature of the claims against him.“Admiral Jackson has been on the front lines of deadly combat and saved the lives of many others in service to this country. He’s served as the physician to three presidents — Republican and Democrat — and been praised by them all,” said Hogan Gidley, a deputy White House press secretary. “Admiral Jackson’s record of strong, decisive leadership is exactly what’s needed at the V.A. to ensure our veterans receive the benefits they deserve.”
Trump chose Jackson after he fired David Shulkin on March 28. Yes, he’s a White House physician and a one-star Navy admiral, but The Washington Post wrote that “his résumé shows little management experience” for the government’s second largest agency that employs at least 370,000 people across the country.
Senators prepped questions for Jackson about “his views on the role of private medical care for veterans, instead of the department’s government-run health care system.” Trump’s administration has pushed veterans care in this direction, but Democrats oppose this idea “out of concern it will strip the agency of funding.”
The administration brought in people from VA offices across the U.S. “to brief Jackson on issues confronting the agency,” but those close to the process have called it “poorly coordinated.”
During Trump’s conference with French President Emmanuel Macron, a reporter asked him about Jackson.
So it looks like Trump is giving him an out. If Jackson wants to withdraw then he can.
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