Pleading the Fifth: Official Won't Answer Questions About Making Parody Videos While Injured Vets...

Townhall.com ^ | October 31, 2013 | Katie Pavlich

[jazusamo]

Full title: Pleading the Fifth: Official Won't Answer Questions About Making Parody Videos While Injured Vets Wait for Benefits

Veterans coming back from wars in Afghanistan and Iraq with severe injuries and post-traumatic stress disorder have been left behind by their government as they desperately wait for a response about disability benefits from the Department of Veteran's affairs. Many veterans returning from war have been waiting for over a year. Currently, the VA system has a backlog of approximately 500,000 cases and they're being cleared extremely slowly, causing further long term pain to veterans and their families.

Under relentless pressure from Congress, veterans groups and the news media, the VA finally started shrinking the claims backlog this year. But the lethargic department doesn't plan to clear it completely for at least two more years, and veterans will still have to wait up to four months for an answer on their claims. That's a pitiful, unambitious goal, and there's deep concern that the VA can't even meet it.

The question is, what is taking so long for veterans to receive benefits and a response from the VA? Maybe VA administrators would have more time to focus on veteran claims if they weren't busy making $52,000 parody videos, spending $98,000 on fancy walking kits, notebooks, hand sanitizer and water bottles, or attending lavish conferences on the taxpayer's dime. This waste was exposed by the House Oversight Committee last year.

UNCOVERED: 52,000 Dollar "Patton" Parody Video 14:47 minutes

Think that's bad? It gets worse. Yesterday during a hearing about the waste of taxpayer money, former Assistant Secretary for Human Resources and Administration for the Department of Veteran Affairs John Sepulveda refused to answer questions and pled the fifth.

"With all due respect Mr. Chairman on the advice of my counsel I respectfully decline to answer based on my fifth amendment constitutional privilege."

Former VA Official Asserts his 5th Amendment Privilege 4:16 minutes

What a disgrace.

[Nachum]

The list, Ping

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[a fool in paradise]

That youtube has got to go! It does nothing but stir up agitators!

[Vigilanteman]

Move along people, nothing to see here. Just ObaMao’s people transforming the military into an institution which will assist with his community organizing.

[PowderMonkey]

"With all due respect Mr. Chairman on the advice of my counsel I respectfully decline to answer based on my fifth amendment constitutional privilege."

That's fine, but relevant only in a criminal investigation. These proceedings are administrative in nature. Don't want to talk? Ok. You can be fired. If things subsequently progress to a criminal investigation, and you're found culpable, you can get fines, jail time and loss of pension. Oh, but Mr. Chairman knows all that, this is just another dog and pony show.

[jazusamo]

The Sepulveda’s and Lerner’s have to be held accountable and/or prosecuted for any laws broken by them. Until these type people are made examples of this abuse of power will never stop.

[jazusamo]

Please bump the Freepathon or click above and donate or become a monthly donor!

[Mears]

Astonishing !!!!

If it wasn’t for The Red Sox October,2013 would go down as one of my worst months ever.

The country is sliding away into oblivion.

.

[FES0844]

This is so outrageous. Our wounded warriors could have gotten track chairs & other financial assistance with this money.

[huldah1776]

this is shiites for the bird. How many data entry clerks and filing clerks can work for 6.1 million and how long would it take to get caught up filing requests without losing someone’s med files?