Dem staff’s report skewers Dr. Jackson

WASHINGTON — White House physician Ronny Jackson, President Donald Trump’s nominee to lead the Department of Veterans Affairs, wrecked a government vehicle after getting drunk at a Secret Service going-away party, according to an explosive list of allegations released Wednesday by the Democratic staff of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee.

In the two-page summary of interviews conducted by the staff members, Jackson also stands accused of a “pattern” of handing out medications with no patient history, prescribing medications to himself and contributing to a hostile work environment with “a constant fear of reprisal.”

The document is based on the testimony of 23 current and former colleagues of Jackson.

According to the report: “Jackson was described as ‘the most unethical person I have ever worked with,’ ‘flat-out unethical,’ ‘explosive,’ ‘100 percent bad temper,’ ‘toxic,’ ‘abusive,’ ‘volatile,’ ‘incapable of not losing his temper,’ ‘the worst officer I have ever served with,’ ‘despicable,’ ‘dishonest’ and prone to having ‘screaming tantrums’ and “screaming fits.’”

It continued: “As Jackson gained power he became ‘intolerable.’ One physician said, ‘I have no faith in government that someone like Jackson could end up at VA.’” Jackson

The summary says Jackson provided ‘‘a large supply’’ of Percocet, an opioid, to a White House military office staff member, throwing his own staff ‘‘into a panic’’ when the unit could not account for the missing drugs.

A nurse on his staff said Jackson had written himself prescriptions, and when caught, asked a physician assistant to provide the medication.

The document does not say when some of the incidents allegedly occurred.

Jackson, 50, a Navy rear admiral and former combat physician who served in Iraq, has been under fire for days amid questions about his qualifications to lead the VA and allegations of his management practices at the White House Medical Unit. Trump told Jackson on Tuesday that he should fight for the nomination, according to sources, but earlier in the day had suggested that perhaps the doctor should withdraw.

Wednesday, the White House intensified its defense of Jackson, arguing that his record as personal physician to the past three presidents was sterling and demanding that he have an opportunity to defend himself before the Senate.

“In fact, because Dr. Jackson has worked within arms’ length of three presidents, he has received more vetting than most nominees,” White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said.

Sanders said Jackson had received “unanimous praise” from dozens of witnesses and “glowing” evaluations from his superiors.