A pair of Department of Veterans Affairs officials who invoked their Fifth Amendment rights earlier this month rather than answer questions about their alleged involvement in a fraud scheme will remain at the agency.
Diane Rubens and Kimberly Graves were both demoted and reassigned to other VA offices as a result of their misconduct, the agency said late Friday. They will each receive a pay cut.
Rubens and Graves were accused of manipulating a VA program that pays for the relocation of employees who have to move long distances to take new jobs within the agency.
According to the VA’s inspector general, Rubens created a position for herself in Philadelphia and then accepted it, netting $274,000 in the process. Her new job entailed far fewer responsibilities, but she retained the same six-figure salary.
Graves was accused by the agency watchdog of pressuring another VA employee to vacate his position and then taking it for herself so she could reap the relocation benefits.
Despite what lawmakers have blasted as “shockingly unethical” conduct, both women will hold onto jobs at the agency.
What’s more, they will be eligible to receive relocation benefits for their reassignments through the same program they abused in the first place.
Both Republicans and Democrats have lambasted the VA for refusing to fire employees who break the rules.
For example, the VA has removed just three officials involved in an internal cover-up of the healthcare delays that claimed dozens of lives and forced thousands of veterans to wait long stretches of time for appointments. No employees were fired at the Phoenix VA hospitals, where the secret patient waiting lists were first exposed by whistleblowers.
Rep. Jeff Miller, chairman of the House VA Committee, noted Graves had received an $8,000 bonus this year despite her alleged misconduct in a statement blasting the VA for refusing to fire the two officials.
“For those wondering whether VA is committed to real accountability for corrupt employees, VA leaders answered that question today with a resounding ‘no,'” Miller said.
“VA’s inspector general made criminal referrals to the Department of Justice, while VA leaders went out of their way to allow Rubens and Graves to stay on the department’s payroll and preserve their retirements,” the Florida Republican added. “Rubens and Graves clearly should have been fired. The fact that VA leaders refused to do so gives me no hope the department will do the right thing and take steps to recover the more than $400,000 taxpayer dollars Rubens and Graves fraudulently obtained.”
