VFW Demands SECVA Wilkie Resign Immediately in Light of Damning VA OIG Report in Response to a Veteran’s Sexual Assault Allegation
A statement from B.J. Lawrence, Veterans of Foreign Wars Executive Director
In light of reviewing yesterday’s damning Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General (OIG) report, the Veterans of Foreign Wars has lost all confidence in the performance of Secretary Robert Wilkie and demand his immediate resignation.
The accountability, professionalism and respect that our veterans have earned, and quite frankly deserve, is completely lost in this current VA leadership team.
Secretary Wilkie and several members of his executive staff violated the trust of a fellow veteran who came forth with serious allegations of sexual assault. Instead of taking this veteran’s allegations seriously, the Secretary and his key staff sought to discredit and vilify the veteran. We will not tolerate this behavior at our VA.
Sexual assault is a criminal act. We expected the Secretary to properly investigate this serious matter, yet he and close members of his team focused on questioning the credibility of the alleged assaulted veteran.
The VFW can no longer entrust Secretary Wilkie with leading our VA or caring for our veterans. Trust is lost and our veterans cannot wait until January 20, 2021, for a leadership change. Secretary Wilkie must resign now.
-VFW-