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| Shinseki resigns amid VA scandal over veterans’ health care | Shinseki resigns amid VA scandal over veterans’ health care |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Eric K. Shinseki resigned Friday as secretary of veterans affairs, taking responsibility for a scandal in the VA health-care system over excessive waiting times and coverups of what he called “systemic” problems. | Eric K. Shinseki resigned Friday as secretary of veterans affairs, taking responsibility for a scandal in the VA health-care system over excessive waiting times and coverups of what he called “systemic” problems. |
| President Obama announced that he accepted Shinseki’s resignation after agreeing with his embattled VA secretary that he had become a “distraction” as the department struggles to deal with a huge increase of veterans in need of care after more than a decade of war overseas. | President Obama announced that he accepted Shinseki’s resignation after agreeing with his embattled VA secretary that he had become a “distraction” as the department struggles to deal with a huge increase of veterans in need of care after more than a decade of war overseas. |
| Obama made the announcement shortly after Shinseki apologized publicly Friday for what he called an “indefensible” lack of integrity among some senior leaders of the VA health-care system and announced several remedial steps, including a process to remove top officials at the troubled VA medical center in Phoenix. | Obama made the announcement shortly after Shinseki apologized publicly Friday for what he called an “indefensible” lack of integrity among some senior leaders of the VA health-care system and announced several remedial steps, including a process to remove top officials at the troubled VA medical center in Phoenix. |
| [Read about how the VA developed its culture of coverups.] | |
| Speaking after a meeting with Shinseki at the White House, Obama said Shinseki had offered him his resignation. | Speaking after a meeting with Shinseki at the White House, Obama said Shinseki had offered him his resignation. |
| “With considerable regret, I accepted,” Obama said. “We don’t have time for distractions,” he added. “We need to fix the problem.” | “With considerable regret, I accepted,” Obama said. “We don’t have time for distractions,” he added. “We need to fix the problem.” |
| He said Sloan D. Gibson, the deputy secretary of veterans affairs, is taking over as acting secretary until a permanent replacement for Shinseki is found and confirmed by the Senate. | He said Sloan D. Gibson, the deputy secretary of veterans affairs, is taking over as acting secretary until a permanent replacement for Shinseki is found and confirmed by the Senate. |
| Obama paid tribute to Shinseki, telling reporters that he arrived at his decision to accept the VA chief’s resignation because of Shinseki’s “belief that he would be a distraction from the task at hand, which is to make sure that what’s broken gets fixed so that his fellow veterans are getting the services that they need.” | Obama paid tribute to Shinseki, telling reporters that he arrived at his decision to accept the VA chief’s resignation because of Shinseki’s “belief that he would be a distraction from the task at hand, which is to make sure that what’s broken gets fixed so that his fellow veterans are getting the services that they need.” |
| “He is a very good man,” Obama said. “He’s a good person who’s done exemplary work on our behalf.” He said Shinseki concluded that “he could not carry out the next stages of reform without being a distraction himself.” | “He is a very good man,” Obama said. “He’s a good person who’s done exemplary work on our behalf.” He said Shinseki concluded that “he could not carry out the next stages of reform without being a distraction himself.” |
| “I think he is deeply disappointed in the fact that bad news did not get to him and that the structures weren’t in place for him to identify this problem quickly and fix it,” Obama said. “His priority now is to make sure that happens, and he felt like new leadership . . . would serve our veterans best, and I agree with him.” | “I think he is deeply disappointed in the fact that bad news did not get to him and that the structures weren’t in place for him to identify this problem quickly and fix it,” Obama said. “His priority now is to make sure that happens, and he felt like new leadership . . . would serve our veterans best, and I agree with him.” |
| Earlier Friday, Shinseki gave no indication that he intended to resign, despite growing calls for him to step down because of the scandal. | Earlier Friday, Shinseki gave no indication that he intended to resign, despite growing calls for him to step down because of the scandal. |
| At the end of a speech to an annual conference of the National Coalition for Homeless Veterans in Washington, Shinseki addressed a new interim report on the VA health-care system’s problems. He said he now knows that the problems are “systemic,” rather than isolated as he thought in the past. | At the end of a speech to an annual conference of the National Coalition for Homeless Veterans in Washington, Shinseki addressed a new interim report on the VA health-care system’s problems. He said he now knows that the problems are “systemic,” rather than isolated as he thought in the past. |
| “That breach of integrity is irresponsible,” he told the largely supportive audience. “It is indefensible and unacceptable to me.” He said he was “too trusting” of some top officials and “accepted as accurate reports that I now know to have been misleading with regard to patient wait times.” | “That breach of integrity is irresponsible,” he told the largely supportive audience. “It is indefensible and unacceptable to me.” He said he was “too trusting” of some top officials and “accepted as accurate reports that I now know to have been misleading with regard to patient wait times.” |
| Obama summoned Shinseki to a meeting at the White House at 10:15 a.m. Friday to discuss the problems in the VA health-care system. The meeting ended at about 11 a.m., and Obama headed to the White House briefing room. | Obama summoned Shinseki to a meeting at the White House at 10:15 a.m. Friday to discuss the problems in the VA health-care system. The meeting ended at about 11 a.m., and Obama headed to the White House briefing room. |
| Obama said the VA’s initial review showed that “the misconduct has not been limited to a few VA facilities, but many across the country.” He said that was “totally unacceptable,” adding: “Last week I said that if we found misconduct, it would be punished, and I meant it.” | Obama said the VA’s initial review showed that “the misconduct has not been limited to a few VA facilities, but many across the country.” He said that was “totally unacceptable,” adding: “Last week I said that if we found misconduct, it would be punished, and I meant it.” |
| In response to a question, Obama said he would leave it to the Justice Department to determine “whether there’s been criminal wrongdoing” within the VA system. | In response to a question, Obama said he would leave it to the Justice Department to determine “whether there’s been criminal wrongdoing” within the VA system. |
| Reacting to the resignation, House Speaker John A. Boehner (R-Ohio) told reporters that Shinseki’s departure does not absolve Obama of blame and vowed that congressional Republicans would hold the president accountable for fixing the problems. He urged Obama to order the VA to cooperate with a House investigation and to “outline his vision” for getting to the bottom of the problems. | Reacting to the resignation, House Speaker John A. Boehner (R-Ohio) told reporters that Shinseki’s departure does not absolve Obama of blame and vowed that congressional Republicans would hold the president accountable for fixing the problems. He urged Obama to order the VA to cooperate with a House investigation and to “outline his vision” for getting to the bottom of the problems. |
| Senate Majority Leader Harry M. Reid (D-Nev.) said in a statement: “It is now time to restore veterans’ trust in the reliability of the care they are receiving from the VA.” He pledged to do “everything I can to ensure that the Congress works to address the root causes” of the problems. | Senate Majority Leader Harry M. Reid (D-Nev.) said in a statement: “It is now time to restore veterans’ trust in the reliability of the care they are receiving from the VA.” He pledged to do “everything I can to ensure that the Congress works to address the root causes” of the problems. |
| House Veterans Affairs Committee Chairman Jeff Miller (R-Fla.) vowed Friday to intensify his panel’s probe of an alleged coverup of the agency’s delays in getting basic health-care meetings for veterans. | House Veterans Affairs Committee Chairman Jeff Miller (R-Fla.) vowed Friday to intensify his panel’s probe of an alleged coverup of the agency’s delays in getting basic health-care meetings for veterans. |
| “There will be no honeymoon period,” Miller told reporters after Shinseki’s announcement. | “There will be no honeymoon period,” Miller told reporters after Shinseki’s announcement. |
| Miller said he has a good working relationship with Gibson and expects to speak with the acting VA secretary later Friday. But he said his committee will continue to dig into the scandal. | Miller said he has a good working relationship with Gibson and expects to speak with the acting VA secretary later Friday. But he said his committee will continue to dig into the scandal. |
| Rep. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), who called for Shinseki’s resignation Friday morning shortly before Obama’s announcement, reiterated her previous suggestion that an outside executive might be the best long-term leader for the department. Such a leader might “provide a fresh look,” she said. | Rep. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), who called for Shinseki’s resignation Friday morning shortly before Obama’s announcement, reiterated her previous suggestion that an outside executive might be the best long-term leader for the department. Such a leader might “provide a fresh look,” she said. |
| Duckworth told The Washington Post that Shinseki reached a tipping point once the debate centered on his political standing. Replacing him would return the focus to caring for veterans, she said. Duckworth lost both her legs while serving in Iraq as an Army helicopter pilot and later worked under Shinseki at the VA before winning a House seat from a suburban Chicago district in 2012. | |
| Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (D-Hawaii), who also served in Iraq as a member of the Hawaii National Guard, said in a statement that the VA “has lost sight of its mission.” She added: “Our loyalty, anger and hurt must be focused on taking action to ensure that not another day passes where a veteran in need remains waiting in the dark. We are facing a crisis, with veterans waiting months and sometimes years on official or secret waiting lists, while others are lost in the bureaucracy. This is unacceptable, and dishonors these great Americans who sacrificed so much.” | |
| Calling for “a systemic overhaul,” Gabbard said she is drafting legislation to “ensure that veterans are immediately able to access care from a doctor, whether in the VA system or not.“ | |
| In a statement, Sen. Bernard Sanders (I-Vt.), chairman of the Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, said he was saddened by Shinseki’s resignation, calling him “an American hero who courageously served his country in war, rose to be the Army chief of staff and has dedicated his distinguished career to helping his fellow soldiers and veterans.” | In a statement, Sen. Bernard Sanders (I-Vt.), chairman of the Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, said he was saddened by Shinseki’s resignation, calling him “an American hero who courageously served his country in war, rose to be the Army chief of staff and has dedicated his distinguished career to helping his fellow soldiers and veterans.” |
| Sanders said: “The new leadership must transform the culture of the VA, establish accountability and punish those responsible for the reprehensible manipulation of wait times.” | |
| A veterans’ group, Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, said in a statement that its members were “outraged” by the scandal and “ready for new management, new oversight, and new energy.” | A veterans’ group, Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, said in a statement that its members were “outraged” by the scandal and “ready for new management, new oversight, and new energy.” |
| The group called on Obama to “demonstrate his own leadership and bring under control a deep systemic element of incompetence and corruption that clearly exists in the VA.” It urged him to “look for an Iraq or Afghanistan veteran who will lead an aggressive turnaround of the VA” as the new permanent secretary. | The group called on Obama to “demonstrate his own leadership and bring under control a deep systemic element of incompetence and corruption that clearly exists in the VA.” It urged him to “look for an Iraq or Afghanistan veteran who will lead an aggressive turnaround of the VA” as the new permanent secretary. |
| Sen. Rob Portman (R-Ohio) said in a Twitter message: “Simply replacing Sec. Shinseki — while necessary — is in no way sufficient to begin to eliminate the rot that has plagued veterans’ healthcare.” | Sen. Rob Portman (R-Ohio) said in a Twitter message: “Simply replacing Sec. Shinseki — while necessary — is in no way sufficient to begin to eliminate the rot that has plagued veterans’ healthcare.” |
| Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif), the House minority leader, said Shinseki’s departure “will not solve the systemic challenges within the VA and its medical facilities. It is up to all of us — in Congress and in the administration — to review the facts, fix the problems, and improve our efforts to ensure veterans receive the care they need, when they need it.” | Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif), the House minority leader, said Shinseki’s departure “will not solve the systemic challenges within the VA and its medical facilities. It is up to all of us — in Congress and in the administration — to review the facts, fix the problems, and improve our efforts to ensure veterans receive the care they need, when they need it.” |
| Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) said: “Secretary Shinseki’s resignation is just the first step in addressing the institutional neglect of veterans at the VA, but that alone won’t solve the problem. The systemic mismanagement will continue unless we bring reform to the VA and hold all those who are responsible accountable.” | Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) said: “Secretary Shinseki’s resignation is just the first step in addressing the institutional neglect of veterans at the VA, but that alone won’t solve the problem. The systemic mismanagement will continue unless we bring reform to the VA and hold all those who are responsible accountable.” |
| Rubio urged the Senate to pass a bill he has sponsored that would give the new VA secretary authority to fire those responsible for “neglecting, mistreating, or mismanaging care for our veterans.” | Rubio urged the Senate to pass a bill he has sponsored that would give the new VA secretary authority to fire those responsible for “neglecting, mistreating, or mismanaging care for our veterans.” |
| Shinseki, 71, a retired Army general who was wounded in Vietnam as a young officer, addressed the issue in his first public speech since the release Wednesday of a blistering interim report by the Veterans Affairs inspector general. | |
| That independent review found that VA officials throughout the medical system had falsified records to hide the amount of time veterans had to wait for medical appointments. The allegations that VA officials were using elaborate schemes to hide long waiting times date back as far as 2010. The preliminary report’s findings, however, triggered a new flurry of calls for Shinseki’s resignation on Capitol Hill and fed widespread speculation that Obama would be forced to replace him. | That independent review found that VA officials throughout the medical system had falsified records to hide the amount of time veterans had to wait for medical appointments. The allegations that VA officials were using elaborate schemes to hide long waiting times date back as far as 2010. The preliminary report’s findings, however, triggered a new flurry of calls for Shinseki’s resignation on Capitol Hill and fed widespread speculation that Obama would be forced to replace him. |
| In his speech Friday morning, Shinseki touted his department’s successes in reducing homelessness among veterans, which he said has declined 24 percent from 2010 to 2014 despite a tough economy. He received a warm welcome from the Coalition for Homeless Veterans, and the conferees gave him a standing ovation at the end of his speech on the main topic. | In his speech Friday morning, Shinseki touted his department’s successes in reducing homelessness among veterans, which he said has declined 24 percent from 2010 to 2014 despite a tough economy. He received a warm welcome from the Coalition for Homeless Veterans, and the conferees gave him a standing ovation at the end of his speech on the main topic. |
| Then Shinseki addressed what he called “the elephant in the room” and apologized to veterans, members of Congress and the American people for the health-care scandal. “All of them deserve better from their VA,” he said. | Then Shinseki addressed what he called “the elephant in the room” and apologized to veterans, members of Congress and the American people for the health-care scandal. “All of them deserve better from their VA,” he said. |
| “I can’t explain the lack of integrity among some of the leaders of our health-care facilities,” he said. “And so I will not defend it, because it is indefensible. But I can take responsibility for it, and I do.” | “I can’t explain the lack of integrity among some of the leaders of our health-care facilities,” he said. “And so I will not defend it, because it is indefensible. But I can take responsibility for it, and I do.” |
| He added: “So given the facts I now know, I apologize as the senior leader of the Department of Veterans Affairs. . . . But I also know this: that leadership and integrity problems can and must be fixed — and now.” | He added: “So given the facts I now know, I apologize as the senior leader of the Department of Veterans Affairs. . . . But I also know this: that leadership and integrity problems can and must be fixed — and now.” |
| In addition to initiating a process to remove senior leaders of the Phoenix VA medical center, Shinseki said he issued directives that no senior VA executive will receive any performance award this year and that patient wait times be deleted from officials’ performance reviews as a measure of their success. He said the department is also contacting 1,700 veterans in Phoenix, who had been put on unofficial waiting lists, to ensure that they receive immediate care. | In addition to initiating a process to remove senior leaders of the Phoenix VA medical center, Shinseki said he issued directives that no senior VA executive will receive any performance award this year and that patient wait times be deleted from officials’ performance reviews as a measure of their success. He said the department is also contacting 1,700 veterans in Phoenix, who had been put on unofficial waiting lists, to ensure that they receive immediate care. |
| Shinseki asked Congress for “greater authority to remove senior leaders” and requested congressional support to fill existing VA leadership positions that are still vacant. | Shinseki asked Congress for “greater authority to remove senior leaders” and requested congressional support to fill existing VA leadership positions that are still vacant. |
| “This situation can be fixed,” he said. “We can do this in the days ahead, just as we have done for the past five years with veterans’ homelessness.” | “This situation can be fixed,” he said. “We can do this in the days ahead, just as we have done for the past five years with veterans’ homelessness.” |
| The audience welcomed Shinseki with a standing ovation as soon as he entered the room, a tribute to what officials of the Coalition for Homeless Veterans said was his commitment to their cause. | The audience welcomed Shinseki with a standing ovation as soon as he entered the room, a tribute to what officials of the Coalition for Homeless Veterans said was his commitment to their cause. |
| John Driscoll, president and chief executive of the coalition, expressed confidence that Shinseki would address the VA health-care issues effectively. “I do believe that, armed with the findings of that report, his response is going to be swift and deliberate and well-reasoned,” he said in an interview. | John Driscoll, president and chief executive of the coalition, expressed confidence that Shinseki would address the VA health-care issues effectively. “I do believe that, armed with the findings of that report, his response is going to be swift and deliberate and well-reasoned,” he said in an interview. |
| Shinseki has proven to be a strong ally of the coalition, making the goal of ending veteran homelessness by 2015 one of his department’s top priorities. | Shinseki has proven to be a strong ally of the coalition, making the goal of ending veteran homelessness by 2015 one of his department’s top priorities. |
| “He has changed the world in which we operate,” Driscoll said. “He brought the coordination, he brought the leadership, he made a very firm plan on how to approach the issue of veteran homelessness — the focus on housing, the focus on employment and the focus on access to health services.” | “He has changed the world in which we operate,” Driscoll said. “He brought the coordination, he brought the leadership, he made a very firm plan on how to approach the issue of veteran homelessness — the focus on housing, the focus on employment and the focus on access to health services.” |
| On Thursday, Shinseki made an impassioned case to Democratic lawmakers and veterans groups that he can repair the Department of Veterans Affairs, even as calls for his resignation mounted and support from the White House appeared to wane. | On Thursday, Shinseki made an impassioned case to Democratic lawmakers and veterans groups that he can repair the Department of Veterans Affairs, even as calls for his resignation mounted and support from the White House appeared to wane. |
| The White House skirted questions Thursday about whether Obama still has confidence in Shinseki’s ability to lead the department, and a spokesman said the president is withholding judgment about who is responsible for the department’s failings until he reviews pending investigations of what went wrong. | The White House skirted questions Thursday about whether Obama still has confidence in Shinseki’s ability to lead the department, and a spokesman said the president is withholding judgment about who is responsible for the department’s failings until he reviews pending investigations of what went wrong. |
| By late Thursday, one-fifth of the Senate Democratic caucus had called for Shinseki’s ouster, and at least two dozen House Democrats, most of them locked in difficult reelection fights, were demanding that he be replaced. | By late Thursday, one-fifth of the Senate Democratic caucus had called for Shinseki’s ouster, and at least two dozen House Democrats, most of them locked in difficult reelection fights, were demanding that he be replaced. |
| Rep. Michael H. Michaud (Maine), the top Democrat on the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee, said late Thursday that Shinseki should step down. The committee’s chairman, Rep. Jeff Miller (R-Fla.), has also called on Shinseki to leave office. | Rep. Michael H. Michaud (Maine), the top Democrat on the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee, said late Thursday that Shinseki should step down. The committee’s chairman, Rep. Jeff Miller (R-Fla.), has also called on Shinseki to leave office. |
| With his political support rapidly dwindling, Shinseki worked to retain the support of major veterans groups, which have backed him during the crisis, with the exception of the American Legion. | With his political support rapidly dwindling, Shinseki worked to retain the support of major veterans groups, which have backed him during the crisis, with the exception of the American Legion. |
| “He did not give any indication that he’s planning on stepping down,” Roscoe Butler, a deputy director with the American Legion, said Thursday. | “He did not give any indication that he’s planning on stepping down,” Roscoe Butler, a deputy director with the American Legion, said Thursday. |
| In an hour-long meeting with veterans groups Thursday, Shinseki outlined plans to hold accountable VA employees who falsified waiting-list records. | In an hour-long meeting with veterans groups Thursday, Shinseki outlined plans to hold accountable VA employees who falsified waiting-list records. |
| Shinseki acknowledged that he had been too trusting of the information he received from VA hospital employees, and he said that during his 38-year military career he always thought he could trust reports from the field. Internal VA audits of 216 health-care centers have largely confirmed the inspector general’s findings of “systemic” efforts by VA employees to cover up long waits for medical care, according to the veterans groups that met with the secretary. | Shinseki acknowledged that he had been too trusting of the information he received from VA hospital employees, and he said that during his 38-year military career he always thought he could trust reports from the field. Internal VA audits of 216 health-care centers have largely confirmed the inspector general’s findings of “systemic” efforts by VA employees to cover up long waits for medical care, according to the veterans groups that met with the secretary. |
| Greg Jaffe, Ed O’Keefe, Josh Hicks and David Nakamura contributed to this report. | Greg Jaffe, Ed O’Keefe, Josh Hicks and David Nakamura contributed to this report. |