This post has been updated.
Sen. Mark Udall (D-CO) called for Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki to resign Wednesday, making him the first Democratic senator to do so.
Udall tweeted that he believes Shinseki must step down after the VA’s internal watchdog issued a report that found a Phoenix VA hospital underreported the average wait time for a veteran’s first medical appointment by 91 days, as well as left some 1,700 veterans off the official waiting list.
In light of IG report & systemic issues at @DeptVetAffairs, Sec. Shinseki must step down: http://t.co/7zfNxqQMZa
— Mark Udall (@MarkUdall) May 28, 2014
Udall is up for re-election in November against U.S. Rep. Cory Gardner (R-CO).
Since Udall called for Shinseki to step down, two additional Democratic senators up for re-election have called for his resignation.
Sen. John Walsh (D-MT), who was appointed to replace Max Baucus and is now up for re-election in 2014, urged Shinseki to resign in a Wednesday statement.
“The Inspector General’s report confirms the worst of the allegations against the VA and its failure to deliver timely care to veterans. It is time for President Obama to remove Secretary Shinseki from office,” he said in the statement. “With the launch of inspections of VA facilities nationwide, it’s time to put the partisanship aside and focus on what’s right for our veterans.”
Sen. Kay Hagan (D-NC), who is facing a tough re-election battle, called for Shinseki to step down as well.
Sen @kayhagan says it “is time for (Shinseki) to step aside and allow new leadership to take the helm at the VA to correct these failings”
— Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) May 28, 2014
So he should resign if anyone on his staff screws up and lies about it, right?
Democrats have backbones made out of noodles
Last week when Senate Candidate Michelle Nunn called for him to resign I called her campaign office and asked the same thing you just did.
Unfortunately she won the primary and I told them I will have to hold my nose to vote for her. She has said many things I disagree with…like the fact she is for the guns everywhere law that just passed here in Georgia.
What ALL democrats should be calling for is fully funding the VA, and asking why the GOP is against taking care of our veterans.