More allegations emerge about Trump nominee
WASHINGTON >> White House doctor Ronny Jackson exhibited a pattern of recklessly prescribing drugs and drunken behavior, including crashing a government vehicle while intoxicated and doling out such a large supply of a prescription opioid that staffers panicked because they thought the drugs were missing, according to accusations compiled by Democratic staff on the committee considering his nomination as Veterans Affairs secretary.
The summary was based on conversations with 23 of Jackson’s current and former colleagues at the White House Medical Unit. It is the latest blow to his nomination to lead the government’s second-largest Cabinet agency.
In just a matter of days, the allegations have transformed Jackson’s reputation as a celebrated doctor attending the president to an embattled nominee accused of drinking on the job and overprescribing drugs. He was seen pacing back and forth on the White House grounds Wednesday.
And while the White House put on a full-scale defense of Jackson, spokesman Raj Shah said aides are “of course” preparing for the possibility that he might withdraw. “This is, as the president said, Dr. Jackson’s decision,” Shah said on CNN.
Jackson huddled late Wednesday evening with top White House press staff. They declined to comment on the situation.
A former colleague who spoke to The Associated Press described Jackson as a gregarious, Type A charmer who knew how to position himself for success — attentive to bosses but also causing unnecessary grief and consternation among colleagues.
He said Jackson became known as “Candyman” because of the way he handed out drugs. The ex-colleague spoke on condition of anonymity because of fear of retaliation. The “Candyman” nickname was also cited in the summary released by the Democrats.
In a section on Jackson’s prescribing practices, the summary said that in one case, missing Percocet tabs threw members of the White House Medical Unit into a panic — but it turned out he had prescribed a “large supply” of the opioid to a White House Military Office staffer.
The allegations also referred to multiple incidents of Jackson’s intoxication while on duty, often on overseas trips. On at least one occasion he was nowhere to be found when his medical help was needed because “he was passed out drunk in his hotel room,” according to the summary.
At a Secret Service goingaway party, the summary says, Jackson got drunk and wrecked a government vehicle. Jackson has denied allegations of bad behavior and told reporters at the White House he was “still moving ahead as planned.”