Veterans Affairs Media Summary and News Clips 2 March 2016
Veterans Affairs Media Summary and News Clips 2 March 2016 1. Top Stories 1.1 - The Wall Street Journal: Veterans Affairs Takes Action Against Five Staff Members Over Alleged Discriminatory Remarks, VA files a complaint against two judges and proposes disciplinary action against three attorneys (1 March, Daniel Huang, 41.5M online visitors/mo; New York, NY) The Department of Veterans Affairs disciplined two judges and proposed action against three staff attorneys after an internal investigation revealed email exchanges that allegedly carried discriminatory remarks. The five staff members at the Board of Veterans Appeals, a VA administrative court in Washington, D.C., that handles appeals over veterans’ claims, were implicated in a “pattern of inappropriate emails that were racist and sexist in tone,” VA officials said. Hyperlink to Above 1.2 - The Washington Post (Power Post): Was VA watchdog dismissive of whistleblowers reporting wrongdoing? (1 March, Joe Davidson, 23.7M online visitors/mo; Washington, DC) Inspectors general are like cops on the beat. IG offices include law enforcement officers among others who patrol their agencies — something like neighborhoods — hunting waste, fraud and abuse. But what happens if IGs, watchdogs who operate independently of agency management, are dismissive of those who report wrongdoing? That’s the upshot of a report to President Obama last week about the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) inspector general’s office. Hyperlink to Above 1.3 - Star Tribune: Minneapolis VA cleared in three cases of alleged manipulation of patient appointments, wait times, Inspector general clears Minneapolis VA Health Care System in three cases (1 March, Mark Brunswick, 7.8M online visitors/mo; Minneapolis, MN) The Minneapolis Veterans Affairs Hospital has been cleared in three cases where it was alleged to have manipulated patient appointments and wait times.
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