President Trump’s nominee to head the Department of Veterans Affairs has withdrawn from consideration amid mounting scandals. On Wednesday, new details emerged about White House physician Rear Admiral Ronny Jackson’s behavior, including allegations he drunkenly wrecked a government vehicle and created a “hostile work environment” for his colleagues. Jackson also allegedly routinely handed out prescription drugs to West Wing staff, including the opioid Percocet, the sleeping pill Ambien and the stimulant modafinil, given to senior White House officials on international trips. Reports also surfaced that Jackson once drunkenly banged on the hotel room door of a female employee during an overseas work trip in 2015, until the Secret Service intervened. President Trump and his aides spent much of Wednesday publicly defending Jackson against the charges. Lawmakers from both parties raised concerns that Jackson has no experience heading a vast government bureaucracy like the Veterans Administration—the second-largest agency in the U.S. government. President Trump fired the previous VA chief, David Shulkin, who later said it was because of his opposition to Trump’s plans to privatize the VA.
Veterans Affairs Nominee Ronny Jackson Withdraws Amid Misconduct Claims
HeadlineApr 26, 2018