This post has been updated.
Following the release of a critical Inspector General’s report on the wait times at the Phoenix Veterans hospital on Wednesday, congressional Democrats joined their Republican colleagues’ calls for Veterans Affairs Sec. Eric Shinseki to step down.
As of Thursday afternoon, 11 Democratic senators, all up for re-election in 2014, had called for the secretary to resign.
On Wednesday afternoon, Sens. Mark Udall (D-CO), John Walsh (D-MT) and Kay Hagan (D-NC) all urged Shinskei to step down.
And by Wednesday night, Sens. Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Al Franken (D-MN), both of whom are facing tough re-election battles, joined in calls for the secretary to resign.
“I have tremendous respect for General Shinseki and honor his service to this nation,” Shaheen said in a statement. “However, it has become clear that after six years as head of the Department of Veterans Affairs, General Shinseki has been unable to solve other fundamental problems that plague the agency.”
On Thursday, Sen. Mark Warner (D-VA), who is up for re-election in 2014, called on Shinseki to step down.
JUST IN: Sen. @MarkWarner (D-Va.): Shinseki “should step aside in order to allow our focus and our efforts” to focus on fixing the #VA
— Ed O’Keefe (@edatpost) May 29, 2014
Kaine: “I believe the only way to regain the confidence of our veterans…is for the President to select new ldrshp of this critical agency”
— Zeke Miller (@ZekeJMiller) May 29, 2014
Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-LA), who is fighting to keep her seat in a conservative state, on Thursday called for Shinseki to step aside.
Shinseki served our nation with distinction but recent unacceptable actions under his watch regrettably means new leadership is needed
— Senator Landrieu (@SenLandrieu) May 29, 2014
It will take a new leader with effective tools to fix these systematic #VA problems and provide the quality care our veterans deserve
— Senator Landrieu (@SenLandrieu) May 29, 2014
-
|August 19, 2019 3:20 p.m.
Planned Parenthood is leaving the federal government’s Title X program, which funds family planning services for low-income people, due to…
-
|April 8, 2019 4:36 p.m.
Following the ousters of the Homeland Security secretary and Secret Service director, and the withdrawal of the would-be ICE director’s…
-
|April 8, 2019 3:47 p.m.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) on Monday called for ousted Secret Service Director Randolph “Tex” Alles to testify before…
-
|April 8, 2019 12:21 p.m.
Nielsen: "I just want to thank the President, again." pic.twitter.com/5m8WSU9Xej — TPM Livewire (@TPMLiveWire) April 8, 2019