Free Republic

White House press secretary Jay Carney received a stiff rebuke at Monday’s press briefing after trying to spin the resignation of Dr. Robert Petzel, Veterans Affairs undersecretary for health, as proof of the administration’s accountability for the escalating scandal over veterans’ waiting lists. The spat began when ABC’s Jonathan Karl began questioning Carney about VA Secretary Eric Shinseki. “If this mess regarding wait times isn’t cleaned up soon, are General Shinseki’s days numbered as VA secretary?” Karl asked Carney. Carney pivoted to stress the president’s support for the VA before responding, “What the president wants is for the review and...

Last week Department of Veteran's Affairs Undersecretary for Healthcare Robert Petzel resigned as the fallout over multiple scandals within the bureaucracy continue. Petzel served directly under VA Secretary Eric Shinseki, who has been asked to resign by multiple veterans groups including the American Legion and Concerned Veterans for America. snip The problem with Petzel's "resignation?" He was already scheduled for retirement and simply left early. Meanwhile, Shinseki is still refusing to resign.

White House Chief of Staff Denis McDonough said that Friday's resignation of Robert Petzel, a top Veterans Affairs official, was not a voluntary exit. "There is no question that this is a termination of his job there before he was planning to go," McDonough told CBS News Chief White House Correspondent Major Garrett for an interview to air on "Face the Nation" this Sunday. Petzel, the undersecretary for health care at the VA, handed in his resignation to Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki Friday. He had already announced his intention to retire this year and President Obama earlier this month...