Jackson withdraws as nominee to head VA
Ronny L. Jackson, President Donald Trump’s embattled nominee to lead the Department of Veterans Affairs, withdrew from consideration Thursday amid mushrooming allegations of professional misconduct that raised questions about the White House vetting process.
“The allegations against me are completely false and fabricated,” Jackson, the White House physician, said in a defiant statement. “If they had any merit, I would not have been selected, promoted and entrusted to serve in such a sensitive and important role as physician to three presidents over the past 12 years.”
Jackson’s nomination had become imperiled even before Capitol Hill Democrats on Wednesday released new allegations of misconduct. The claims include that Jackson had wrecked a government vehicle after getting drunk at a Secret Service going-away party.
The allegations were contained in a two-page document described by the Democratic staff of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee as a summary of interviews with 23 of Jackson’s current and former colleagues. The document also described Jackson’s “pattern” of handing out medication with no patient history, writing himself prescriptions and contributing to a hostile work environment with “a constant fear of reprisal.”
Veteran advocates and many lawmakers also had expressed concerns about Jackson’s lack of management experience. Some worried that he would capitulate to Trump’s goal of outsourcing more veteran services.
Jackson, 50, has consistently denied wrongdoing. He told colleagues Wednesday night that he had grown frustrated with the nomination process, according to two White House officials with knowledge of his deliberations. He was a surprise nominee to succeed David Shulkin, an Obama-era holdover once lauded by Trump, who was fired March 28.
During a television interview just minutes after Jackson’s statement, Trump said he had another candidate to lead Veterans Affairs in mind but would not provide a name. He noted, however, that the possible nominee has more political experience than Jackson.
Trump also blamed Democrats for derailing the nomination of “an incredible man.”
“These are all false accusations,” Trump said while calling into “Fox & Friends” on Fox News. “They’re trying to destroy a man ... . There’s no proof of this. He’s got a beautiful record.”
Trump singled out Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont., the committee’s ranking Democrat, for unfairly maligning Jackson and said voters in Montana should make him pay a price. Trump also suggested his opponents were eager to take down Jackson because another of his nominees, Mike Pompeo, seems on track to survive a difficult nomination process for secretary of state.
The Washington Post has independently been told stories of misconduct by Jackson similar to those reported by Tester’s staff.