We wrote up the president’s uninspiring press conference yesterday. In essence, he called for a series of investigations after numerous and sundry allegations surfaced that corruption and malfeasance is rampant at the VA. He also announced that Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric Shinseki would stay on, and help with those ongoing efforts. The problem? Even his fellows Democrats aren’t impressed.
Indeed, his wooden and emotionless response is provoking all sorts of anger and disbelief within his own ranks. For example, speaking from the House floor yesterday, Rep. David Scott (D-GA) demanded Shinseki resign and for the White House to take these allegations seriously. “Mr. President, we need urgency!” he thundered. Via WFB:
Democrats cannot dismiss these allegations as a “non-scandal.” To do so would be unwise: at least 40 veterans have died waiting for care and numerous VA facilities are now under federal investigation. And yet let us not forget that the current occupant of the White House campaigned on cleaning up the VA as a presidential candidate in 2007.
Seven years later, however, the extent to which government mismanagement and corruption has infiltrated the ranks of the VA is only just beginning to rear its ugly head.