Posted on 05/28/2014 5:12:36 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
The House's No. 2 Democrat accused Republicans of exploiting the scandal that has enveloped the Veterans Affairs Department for political gain and said he is worried that civil servants could be swept up unfairly in a witch hunt.
"I don't think there's any doubt about it … that is essentially the tactic that Republicans are trying to employ," Minority Whip Steny Hoyer of Maryland told reporters Wednesday.
"In some cases there are huge fishing expeditions which are going on for millions of documents that goes beyond the realm of oversight and politicizes the issue very greatly."
The Republican National Committee on Wednesday started a Twitter and robocall campaign to demand action on the VA scandal, blaming President Obama and compliant Democrats for ignoring warning signs that led to the mistreatment of veterans across the nation.
The VA inspector general's office has reported that 26 VA facilities are being investigated nationwide, including a Phoenix hospital where 40 veterans allegedly died while waiting for treatment as staff there kept a secret list of patients waiting for appointments to hide delays in care.
Hoyer said that while any wrong-doers within the VA must be held accountable, it's imperative that accused employees be given due process and that innocent federal workers aren't needlessly punished as a knee-jerk reaction.
"I don't think that serving veterans is antithetical to making sure that employees of the federal government have the civil service protections that were adopted as long ago as the Pendleton [Civil Service Reform] Act in the 19th Century," said Hoyer, whose district includes a large number of federal workers.
"Our civil service system is designed not to be a system where people serve at the will of those who win elections. It's a professional civil service [that is] protected."
Still, the Maryland Democrat called the alleged mistreatment of veterans "outrageous" and vowed to hold those accountable.
"Congress could, I think, take some constructive action and oversight to ensure that in fact not only the VA system but the government generally operates in an efficient and effective manner, and that its employees are accountable and responsible," he said.
"We need to address this decisively, quickly and hold accountable the people who did that, but, much more importantly … correct the system."
Hoyer said he spoke last week with embattled VA Secretary Eric Shinseki to urge him to respond the scandal "very vigorously, to express his anger and disappointment, and resolve to get to the bottom of this."
Funny how the left is all in a tizzy over this yet they are the same ones after someone goes on a shooting spree wants to use it to take away everyone’s guns..I would love to tell these Dems to their face to STFU
All you have to do is ignore the interests of your country and serve the insatiable money and perk appetites of a protected class.
Roger that. I do not like Dems much. I can't believe I used to be one.
Somebody better exploit the ineptitude at the VA hospitals. If Mr. Hoyer has a problem maybe he is part of the problem. Undermine this situation at your own risk.
They're letting vets die in the streets and this guy is worried about civil service protections?
This ladies and gentlemen is the government way.
Ho’ your is a vote for tyranny.
Nixon was no TEA partyer.
Dems politicize EVERYTHING yet they have the gall to accuse Republicans..I would say Im shocked but I’m really not..Dems are the slimiest of the slime
VA = ObamaCare = Holocaust II, the redo
And the Republicans always give in, instead of using the leverage that is handed to them on a silver platter.
You know that if the roles were reversed, Democrats would go for the jugular over something like this.
-PJ
Time to retire Steny old boy and to start looking for one of those greeter jobs. Maybe even a shopping cart rustler job.
You mean like the Iraq war and the WMD Steny? You Marxist politicize anything you believe will promote your communist agenda.
This is the willful killing of veterans.
Pray America wakes up
Ping!
Steny Hoyer Supports Continuing the System that Is Letting Veterans Die
If they were part of using secret lists, keeping secret lists, hiding secret lists, or even turning a blind eye to secret lists, then they are guilty of malfeasance of office and should be removed.
Moreover, they KNOW they’ve done wrong.
The Senate Democrats yesterday voted to keep letting veterans die.
And had this happened under Bush then so would the Democrats.
What the hell is a “steny”?
I just spoke on the phone with my son who is on a Marine base waiting for orders. While they observe no news blackout, in fact Fox News is on all the time, the only news that is being talked about on base is this VA situation. The Obama administration is violating the “leave no man behind” rule.
Wow, Steny, your vow to hold those accountable is so powerful.
V A ping.
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