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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsDid Shulkin get fired or resign? This is why it matters
Trump potentially opened the door to legal challenges that could hobble the VA.
By ANDREW RESTUCCIA 03/31/2018 10:50 AM EDT
The White House is now asserting that recently departed Veterans Affairs Secretary David Shulkin resigned. Shulkin has made it clear in his public comments that he was forced out.
While Washington often wraps firings in the verbal cloak of a resignation, the distinction this time could have far-reaching implications that could throw the Department of Veterans Affairs, the second-largest federal agency, into further disarray.
In announcing the removal of Shulkin as VA secretary, Trump tapped Defense Department official Robert Wilkie as the acting leader of the department, bypassing Shulkins deputy, who was next in line to succeed him. That decision has reignited a debate among legal experts about the presidents ability to hand-pick replacements for ousted Cabinet secretaries.
The debate centers on vague language in the Federal Vacancies Reform Act of 1998, which gives the president broad authority to temporarily fill a vacancy at a federal agency with an acting official if the current office holder dies, resigns, or is otherwise unable to perform the functions and duties of the office.
more
https://www.politico.com/story/2018/03/31/did-shulkin-get-fired-or-resign-veterans-492877
procon
(15,805 posts)hearing of another one of his controversial, incompetent and unqualified nominees. Wonder what lobbyist for privatizing the VA will get the job?
Achilleaze
(15,543 posts)since Shulkin was fired, according to his side of the story. So maybe Dirty Donny* won't get to appoint his stooge who wants to PRIVATIZE & MONETIZE the VA. Going to be a corporate clusterfuck of epic proportions if the KGOP repube profit-wankers get their way.
* aka republican Draft-Dodger-in-Chief
Sophia4
(3,515 posts)Joking of course, but why not?
moondust
(19,972 posts)may be exactly what the scoundrels are trying to create so they can say the VA is clearly in "disarray" and therefore needs to be privatized. This could potentially be their plan for other government services: appoint incompetents and scoundrels to create disarray and then claim privatization is the fix for the disarray.
I've never had a problem with any kind of "disarray" at my local VA.
Rollo
(2,559 posts)Trump could easily resolve it by producing Shulkin's letter of resignation...
...or Trump could continue lying about it...