McCain, Flake Call For Shinseki To Resign Following Critical Report

FILE - Sen. John McCain, left, R-AZ, and Sen. Jeff Flake, R-AZ, hold a news conference to discuss recent reports that dozens of VA hospital patients in Arizona may have died while awaiting medical care in the Phoenix... FILE - Sen. John McCain, left, R-AZ, and Sen. Jeff Flake, R-AZ, hold a news conference to discuss recent reports that dozens of VA hospital patients in Arizona may have died while awaiting medical care in the Phoenix VA Health Care System, adjacent to the VA Hospital in this Friday, April 18, 2014 file photo taken in Phoenix. Growing concerns about allegations of gross mismanagement and neglect at the Phoenix VA Health Care Center have resulted in a commitment by the chairman of the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee to hold a hearing, members of Arizona's congressional delegation said Thursday April 24, 2014. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin, File) MORE LESS

The two Republican senators from Arizona, John McCain and Jeff Flake, on Wednesday called for Veterans Affairs Sec. Eric Shinseki to resign following the release of an inspector general’s report that concluded that wait times at Phoenix VA facilities were much longer than previously reported.

“I also, with some reluctance, believe that given the lack of responsiveness of Secretary Shinseki to numerous inquiries from Senator Flake and me, that it’s time for Secretary Shinseki to step down,” McCain said during a joint press conference with Flake. “If Secretary Shinseki does not step down voluntarily, then I call on the President of the United States to relieve him of his duties, to fire him.”

McCain also called for the Justice Department and the FBI to get involved.

“These allegations are not just administrative problems, these are criminal problems,” he said.

The inspector general report found that veterans at the Phoenix VA hospital waited for an average of 115 days for an initial medical appointment.

45
Show Comments

Notable Replies

  1. This will not be the first time Shinseki will have fallen on his sword.

  2. I put the onus for the VA troubles squarely on Congress and their inability to properly fund the VA. The problems at the VA long predate Shinseki. And I firmly believe the agency should be headed by a former military person, not a civilian. Firing Shinseki will not solve anything.

  3. Avatar for msny msny says:

    Those two cocksuckers need to resign for voting NO on S1982 to better fund the VA.

  4. Avatar for msny msny says:

    Shinseki was a general.

  5. These two clowns don’t even know what’s going on in their home state, so now they’re looking for a scapegoat.

Continue the discussion at forums.talkingpointsmemo.com

39 more replies

Participants

Avatar for robertbrk Avatar for rob_beatty_walters Avatar for fgs Avatar for caterpillar Avatar for brooklyndweller Avatar for ncsteve Avatar for jloomis3 Avatar for artemisia Avatar for Diogenes67 Avatar for eldonlazar Avatar for oz3472 Avatar for ctvoter Avatar for terrymahoney Avatar for msny Avatar for trumpdog Avatar for sylhines Avatar for sniffit Avatar for df2691 Avatar for jjrothery Avatar for chethardy Avatar for darrtown Avatar for occamsrazor2 Avatar for Izzie Avatar for ThePatriott

Continue Discussion