Jackson withdraws bid to run VA
President’s doctor calls allegations against him false
WASHINGTON — Rear Adm. Ronny Jackson withdrew his nomination to become secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs on Thursday following mounting allegations of professional and personal misconduct that the White House physician called completely false and fabricated.
“It has been my distinct honor and privilege to work at the White House and serve three presidents,” Jackson said in a statement that said the claims of misconduct have become a distraction that forced him to withdraw his nomination.
The withdrawal is a black eye on a White House that has struggled with Cabinet nominees. The Jackson decision sent President Donald Trump into a tirade on a call-in interview with “Fox and Friends.”
“I saw where this was going,” Trump said. “Democrats are horrible in what they are doing.
“It’s a disgrace,” Trump said. Trump nominated Jackson last month to head the embattled department after firing Dr. David Shulkin, who claimed the termination was retaliation for his refusal to privatize portions of the VA, despite a department inspector general report that unveiled unethical behavior.
Jackson, who as Trump’s personal White House physician recently gave a gushing report in which he declared the president could live 200 years with the right diet, was then tapped for the Cabinet post.
But a Senate confirmation hearing for Jackson was postponed this week after allegations surfaced of possible improprieties in dispensing medicine, among other complaints.
Sen. Johnny Isakson, R-GA., chairman of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee, and Sen. Jon Tester, the ranking Democrat on the panel, agreed to postpone the hearing and issued a joint statement saying the Senate needed answers from the White House about allegations of Jackson’s misbehavior.
“Going into this process, I expected tough questions about how to best care for our veterans, but I did not expect to have to dignify baseless and anonymous attacks on my character and integrity,” Jackson said.
“The allegations against me are completely false and fabricated,” he added.
Democrats were not forgiving and blamed the White House for failing to fully vet the nominee.
“For President Trump to have offered an inexperienced and clearly ethically compromised nominee is a slap in the face to veterans in Nevada and throughout the country,” said Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto, D-nev.
The VA secretary oversees the second largest federal department, with 360,000 employees serving 9 million veterans, including 339,000 in Nevada.
Contact Gary Martin at gmartin@ reviewjournal.com or 202-662-7390. Follow @garymartindc on Twitter.