The inspector basic acknowledged that Wilkie and senior VA officers, whereas ignoring issues on the facility, “engaged in confrontational messaging” as they tried to discredit the veteran’s credibility and characterize her allegations as “unsubstantiated.”
“The tone set by Secretary Wilkie was at minimal unprofessional and at worst offered the premise for senior officers to place out data to nationwide reporters to query the credibility and background of the veteran who filed the sexual assault criticism,” Inspector Common Michael Missal concluded in his report.
Nevertheless, the inspector basic mentioned whereas statements reported to have been made by Wilkie have been “unprofessional and disparaging,” they didn’t violate the regulation or any division coverage.
Wilkie responded to the report, saying the the VA takes all allegations of sexual assault severely and claims made in opposition to him have been “false.”
Quite a few veterans teams, together with the Veterans of International Wars, Disabled American Veterans and Paralyzed Veterans of America, referred to as for Wilkie’s ouster after the discharge of the report.
President-elect Joe Biden nominated former Obama White Home chief of workers Denis McDonough on Thursday to succeed Wilkie on the VA.
