A group of Department of Veterans Affairs whistleblowers is demanding an investigation after uncovering new evidence that the VA tried to fire an employee who told a TV station that the government is failing to properly treat suicidal veterans.
The VA Truth Tellers, a group of more than 50 current and former VA workers, told VA Secretary Bob McDonald that trying to fire any whistleblower violates federal law, and said the VA needs to take swift action to ensure VA workers aren’t put at further risk.
“Time and time again persons with integrity find themselves in an uphill battle against corrupt VA leaders for simply bringing up concerns,” the group wrote to McDonald on Monday. “We can no longer tell ourselves that these same VA leaders, responsible for the largest scandal in VA history, are going to right a corrupt VA system, the very system that they helped build.”
The letter was prompted by an August affidavit from Laurie Butler, a former VA official in Phoenix, who said she was in a meeting the day after VA employee Brandon Coleman said on television that suicide cases were being mishandled. After that interview, Phoenix VA Director Glen Grippen held a meeting to discuss whether Coleman could be fired.
The VA Truth Tellers say that affidavit is proof that the VA continues to hunt down whistleblowers in violation of the law, something they have also warned Congress about.
“If the accusations are substantiated, the behavior by Glen Grippen must be dealt with swiftly, to the fullest extent possible, and without hesitation,” the group wrote. “There must be accountability and a new VA standard showing that this type [of] behavior will no longer be tolerated.”
According to Butler’s affidavit, Grippen “said that he wanted to discuss what he could do about Coleman’s actions and asked if it were possible to remove Coleman from employment.” The affidavit also said that at a minimum, Grippen wanted to “know if he could put Coleman on Administrative Absence (AA).”
Butler said another employee noted that the Whistleblower Protection Act protects Coleman as long as he “reasonably believed what he had said.”
But the fact that Grippen raised the idea of firing Coleman shows that retaliation against whistleblowers still exists, despite several comments from top VA officials that there is no retaliation.
“Ms. Butler’s accusation is extremely concerning and alarming, not only to the numerous VA Truth Teller members located at the Phoenix facility, but also to VA Truth Tellers and other VA Whistleblowers around our great nation,” the group wrote.
“A solid culture starts with integrity, and until the VA decides to hold its leaders accountable for their dishonorable actions, there will never be a solid structure,” the group added.
Read the VA Truth Teller’s letter here:
