VA uses Trump-signed law to fire DC medical director – twice

foxnews.com ^ | Alex Pappas

[RoosterRedux]

The former director of the VA Medical Center in Washington has been fired – again.

The Department of Veterans Affairs announced Wednesday that former director Brian Hawkins had been dismissed “for his failure to provide effective leadership to the D.C. Medical Center.”

Officials said he was ousted under the VA Accountability Act, which President Trump signed into law in June.

Hawkins was initially ousted in July. But the VA was forced to rehire him in August after the federal Merit Systems Protection Board ordered a stay of the firing. Hawkins has argued he was wrongly terminated.

The department’s inspector general found that Hawkins violated the VA's policies by sending sensitive VA information from his work email to unsecured private email accounts.

“We at VA will use the authorities available to ensure our Veterans get the highest quality service and care possible,” VA Secretary David Shulkin said in a statement. “This is the right decision for veterans in D.C., and employees at the medical center, and underscores our commitment to hold employees accountable if they fail to do their jobs or live up to VA’s values.”

[RoosterRedux]

Buh Bye!

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[SmokingJoe]

But the VA was forced to rehire him in August after the federal Merit Systems Protection Board ordered a stay of the firing

Who the heck are these creeps, The federal Merit Systems Protection Board? They are in the business of protecting corruptocrats?

[TrumpisRight]

As a Vet, I say THANK YOU for dismissing this guy. So many corrupt employees and so few dismissed.

[TChris]

Who the heck are these creeps, The federal Merit Systems Protection Board? They are in the business of protecting corruptocrats?

Guessing it's tied to government employee's union.

Allowing taxpayer-supported employees to unionize is a BAD IDEA, IMO.

[hanamizu]

Guessing it’s tied to government employee’s union.

---

It might well be, but I’d guess it’s a child of the much-earlier-than-employees’-union civil service reforms of the 1880s. It used to be that every President got to pack the civil service with his supporters, whether they were qualified or not. The upside was a civil service that actually wanted the President to succeed. The downside was jobs were handed out not according to ability. When Garfield was assassinated by a frustrated job-seeker, the push was on to make civil service jobs “merit based”.

To prevent Presidents from simply firing civil service workers, the workers got rights to the point of where it is virtually impossible to fire one, no matter how incompetent he or she might be. And we have a civil service that actively opposes Republican Presidents.

[TChris]

And we have a civil service that actively opposes Republican Presidents.

I have long suspected that the actual power of the elected government has significantly decreased as the sheer size of the un-elected workers of the government -- the ones who remain through one election after another -- has grown.

[COBOL2Java]

Who the heck are these creeps, The federal Merit Systems Protection Board? They are in the business of protecting corruptocrats?

United States Merit Systems Protection Board

The Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB) is an independent quasi-judicial agency established in 1979 to protect federal merit systems against partisan political and other prohibited personnel practices and to ensure adequate protection for federal employees against abuses by agency management.

When an employee of most Executive Branch agencies is separated from his or her position, or suspended for more than 14 work days, the employee can request that an employee of MSPB conduct a hearing into the matter by submitting an appeal, generally within 30 days.[1] In that hearing, the agency will have to prove that the action was warranted and the employee will have the opportunity to present evidence that it was not. A decision of MSPB is binding unless set aside on appeal to federal court. Along with the Office of Personnel Management and the Federal Labor Relations Authority, the MSPB is a successor agency of the United States Civil Service Commission, which was abolished in 1979.

[ExSES]

Allowing taxpayer-supported employees to unionize is a BAD IDEA, IMO.

Even the Dims' "Patron Saint" FDR refused to allow government employee unions. That aside, the MSPB rules with regard to U.S. Civil Service Regulations. Federal executives and managers do not have union contract protection.

[Sooth2222]

"VA uses Trump-signed law to fire DC medical director – twice"

Just a tiny point. He was the VA Medical Center Director, not the VA Medical Director (ie he is NOT a physician.)

https://www.washingtondc.va.gov/news/New_Medical_Center_Director.asp

Mr. Hawkins holds a Bachelor of Liberal Arts and Sciences from Southern Illinois University and a Master of Health Administration from Governors State University. He is also a member of the American College of Healthcare Executives, Senior Executives Association, the American Pilot and Aircraft Owners Association and currently is an Adjunct Professor at Northeastern State University in Tahlequah, OK.

[DannyTN]

Still frustrating that they had to fire him on a Protected Health information violation. They couldn’t fire him because of ineffective leadership.

[Eagles6]

The department’s inspector general found that Hawkins violated the VA's policies by sending sensitive VA information from his work email to unsecured private email accounts."

Yeah but did he INTEND to break the rules?

[dragnet2]

To bad at #32 bat across the jaw isn’t part of the exit interview for those in government who need to be fired twice.

[SmokingJoe]

Thanks for the info.

[SmokingJoe]

Shoulda known. Yet another affirmative action, entitlement nut, who thinks he can get away with anything without fear of consequences just because he is black hire.

[lizma2]

Thank you so much for your service.

I spent a year as a Red Cross volunteer during the Iraq war at Walter Reed on the amputation ward, ward 57, the snake pit. My respect for you guys is through the roof and then some. Deepest ever. (Still a volunteer there.)

Worked at some V.A.’s 30 years ago. Hellhole then. Sounds like Trump is starting to turn it around.

Live in the D.C. area. Met a Vet injured recently who had been in a helicopter crash in Afghanistan. Several V.A. surgeries. Spine more metal than bone. V.A. admits he needs better care than they can deliver and is sending him to Georgetown for his further care. I smell Trump!!!!LOL!

Bless you.

[vette6387]

“The Federal Merit Systems Protection Board ordered a stay of the firing.”

Here’s an “agency” that needs to go, or have a majority of it’s members terminated!

[TrumpisRight]

Thank you so much. You deserve a BIG thank you as well. Your a star in my eyes. The best of the best.