A VA employee who reported a coverup involving the death of a Colorado patient is being targeted for retaliation, but U.S. Sens. Cory Gardner and Sen. Ron Johnson are blowing the whistle on behalf of the whistleblower.
The VA employee reported to the senators earlier this month that a veteran who suffered from PTSD had been secretly wait listed, and while waiting for treatment that never came from the Colorado Springs facility, the 26-year-old Army Ranger committed suicide.
The VA employee had every right and constitutional protection to report to Congress that records had possibly been falsified after the veteran’s death.
But in their usual fashion, instead of correcting the problem, the VA launched a witch hunt against the employee accusing him of violating privacy laws.
So, the lawmakers reported the VA to the agency’s inspector general for that office to investigate the bogus investigation of the whistle blower, as well as the death of the young veteran.
From Gardner’s letter to the IG:
… we have heard concern from VA employees about their ability to speak with Congress due to the fear of retaliation. It should be clear that all VA employees have a right to speak with Congress. Specifically, federal law states: “The right of employees, individually or collectively, to petition Congress or a Member of Congress, or to furnish information to either House of Congress, or to a committee or Member thereof, may not be interfered or denied.”
If the VA OIG finds during its inquiry any retaliation due to this whistleblower’s contact with Congress, we would request that you notify us promptly.
Disturbingly, this is just further proof that the VA continues to fail those whose lives with which they are trusted. And when they are confronted with wrong-doing, they attack the messenger.
This is a serious matter and the behavior of the VA is simply outrageous. We applaud Gardner’s swift action to protect this and all employees from the Obama administration’s retaliatory henchmen, as well as the victims of the VA’s continued wait-list practices that are costing veterans their lives.