Report Faults V.A. Secretary Shulkin Over Travel to Europe
Shulkin
Dr .  Shulkin  is one of several cabinet secretaries to be accused of lavish spending on travel . Tom Price was dismissed as secretary of health and human services over his use of private jets . Within hours of the report ’ s release   a few Republican lawmakers were calling for Dr .  Shulkin  to resign . But others in Congress and at influential veterans ’ organizations stopped short of that   condemning misuse of funds but reaffirming their support for the secretary . “ A lot of them don ’ t know what to do — they may want him to go   but who would replace him ?” said Paul Rieckhoff   founder of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America . “ What they get in his place may be very disruptive .” The Department of Veterans Affairs offered only a brief defense of Dr . Shulkin ’ s trip on Wednesday   saying in a statement : “ As  Secretary Shulkin  points out    he  travels far less than any recent V . A . secretary   takes no private jets   and was the first cabinet secretary to post details of his travel online for all to see . That said   accountability and transparency are important values at V . A . under President Trump .” But Dr . Shulkin personally pushed back hard against the findings . “ The report is not accurate   not objective  ” he said in an interview on Wednesday . “ I was horrified when I saw the way the investigator conducted himself   leading the witness with his own interpretation and the bias .” He said the department usually has weeks to review and respond to reports   but he had only two working days . Newsletter Sign Up Continue reading the main story Please verify you ' re not a robot by clicking the box . You must select a newsletter to subscribe to . Sign Up You agree to receive occasional updates and special offers for The New York Times ' s products and services . View all New York Times newsletters . In an unusual 28 - page rebuttal attached to the report by his lawyers   Dr . Shulkin included findings from an independent ethics expert   affidavits from witnesses who contradicted the report   and transcripts of interviews conducted by the investigators that the lawyers said showed bias . The department ’ s chief of staff   Vivieca Wright Simpson   also disputed the findings . The report found that in seeking approval for the secretary ’ s wife   Dr . Merle Bari   to take the trip at public expense   Ms . Wright Simpson misrepresented to the department ’ s ethics office that a planned “ special recognition dinner ” was definite . Wright Simpson ’ s false representations and alteration of an official record may have violated federal criminal statutes  ” the report said   adding that the inspector general had referred the matter to the Justice Department for possible prosecution . The department declined to prosecute . Advertisement Continue reading the main story Ms . Wright Simpson said in an interview on Wednesday that the dinner she mentioned in the email had in fact taken place . She said she was not given any chance to see the inspector general ’ s report or respond to it before its release   despite requests through her lawyer . The report said the secretary and his wife improperly accepted the Wimbledon tickets from Victoria Gosling   an organizer of the 2016 Invictus Games   which brought together wounded veterans for competition . The tickets ’ face price was about $ 350   but their resale value   according to the report   was about $ 3   500 . Accepting such a gift violated ethics standards   according to the report . It recommended that the secretary repay the cost of the tickets and reimburse the government for his wife ’ s travel . Dr .  Shulkin  said  he  would comply with recommendations   but maintained that  he  had done nothing improper .  He  said Ms . Gosling was a personal friend who offered the couple her sister ’ s unused tickets   and that there was nothing unethical in accepting them .  He  said Ms . Wright Simpson ’ s conduct will be investigated   “ and if it reveals she did something wrong   we will take action .” The members of Congress in charge of the committees that oversee the department — Senators Johnny Isakson of Georgia and Jon Tester of Montana   and Representatives Phil Roe of Tennessee and Tim Walz of Minnesota — issued a joint statement expressing disappointment at the allegations detailed in the report . “ We believe that public officials must be held to a higher standard   and whether intentional or not   misusing taxpayer dollars is unacceptable  ” they said in the statement . “ We ’ re counting on Dr . Shulkin to actively address all of the allegations outlined in this report .”
Dr .  Shulkin  is one of several cabinet secretaries to be accused of lavish spending on travel . Tom Price was dismissed as secretary of health and human services over his use of private jets . Within hours of the report ’ s release   a few Republican lawmakers were calling for Dr .  Shulkin  to resign . But others in Congress and at influential veterans ’ organizations stopped short of that   condemning misuse of funds but reaffirming their support for the secretary . “ A lot of them don ’ t know what to do — they may want him to go   but who would replace him ?” said Paul Rieckhoff   founder of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America . “ What they get in his place may be very disruptive .” The Department of Veterans Affairs offered only a brief defense of Dr . [TGT] trip on Wednesday   saying in a statement : “ As  [TGT]points out    [TGT]  travels far less than any recent V . A . secretary   takes no private jets   and was the first cabinet secretary to post details of his travel online for all to see . That said   accountability and transparency are important values at V . A . under President Trump .” But Dr . [TGT] personally pushed back hard against the findings . “ The report is not accurate   not objective  ” [TGT] said in an interview on Wednesday . “ I was horrified when I saw the way the investigator conducted himself   leading the witness with his own interpretation and the bias .” [TGT] said the department usually has weeks to review and respond to reports   but [TGT] had only two working days . Newsletter Sign Up Continue reading the main story Please verify you ' re not a robot by clicking the box . You must select a newsletter to subscribe to . Sign Up You agree to receive occasional updates and special offers for The New York Times ' s products and services . View all New York Times newsletters . In an unusual 28 - page rebuttal attached to the report by his lawyers   Dr . Shulkin included findings from an independent ethics expert   affidavits from witnesses who contradicted the report   and transcripts of interviews conducted by the investigators that the lawyers said showed bias . The department ’ s chief of staff   Vivieca Wright Simpson   also disputed the findings . The report found that in seeking approval for the secretary ’ s wife   Dr . Merle Bari   to take the trip at public expense   Ms . Wright Simpson misrepresented to the department ’ s ethics office that a planned “ special recognition dinner ” was definite . Wright Simpson ’ s false representations and alteration of an official record may have violated federal criminal statutes  ” the report said   adding that the inspector general had referred the matter to the Justice Department for possible prosecution . The department declined to prosecute . Advertisement Continue reading the main story Ms . Wright Simpson said in an interview on Wednesday that the dinner she mentioned in the email had in fact taken place . She said she was not given any chance to see the inspector general ’ s report or respond to it before its release   despite requests through her lawyer . The report said the secretary and his wife improperly accepted the Wimbledon tickets from Victoria Gosling   an organizer of the 2016 Invictus Games   which brought together wounded veterans for competition . The tickets ’ face price was about $ 350   but their resale value   according to the report   was about $ 3   500 . Accepting such a gift violated ethics standards   according to the report . It recommended that the secretary repay the cost of the tickets and reimburse the government for his wife ’ s travel . Dr .  [TGT]said  [TGT]  would comply with recommendations   but maintained that  [TGT]  had done nothing improper .  [TGT]  said Ms . Gosling was a personal friend who offered the couple her sister ’ s unused tickets   and that there was nothing unethical in accepting them .  He  said Ms . Wright Simpson ’ s conduct will be investigated   “ and if it reveals she did something wrong   we will take action .” The members of Congress in charge of the committees that oversee the department — Senators Johnny Isakson of Georgia and Jon Tester of Montana   and Representatives Phil Roe of Tennessee and Tim Walz of Minnesota — issued a joint statement expressing disappointment at the allegations detailed in the report . “ We believe that public officials must be held to a higher standard   and whether intentional or not   misusing taxpayer dollars is unacceptable  ” they said in the statement . “ We ’ re counting on Dr . Shulkin to actively address all of the allegations outlined in this report .”