Report says VA Secretary Wilkie defamed sexual assault victim

WASHINGTON — House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., called on Veterans Affairs Secretary Robert Wilkie to resign Saturday, following a report that he orchestrated a smear campaign against a congressional aide who said she was assaulted at a VA hospital.

“The VA Inspector General report makes clear that Secretary Wilkie engaged in an extremely disturbing cover-up campaign of sexual assault against a veteran,” Pelosi said in a statement. “He has lost the trust and confidence to serve, and he must immediately resign.”

Leading veteran groups — including the American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars and Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America — echoed the call, saying that Wilkie had breached their trust and could no longer effectively lead an agency responsible for the care of nine million veterans.

“It is unfair to expect accountability from the nearly 400,000 VA employees and not demand the same from its top executive,” wrote American Legion National Commander James Oxford. “Wilkie failed to meet the standard that the veteran who came forward with the complaint deserved. By the promises set forth by his own department, the American Legion believes Secretary Wilkie should resign.”

Oxford also called on acting deputy secretary Pamela Powers and top public affairs officials James Hutton and Curt Cashour to step down after Inspector General Michael Missal found they repeatedly tried to discredit the veteran.