White House Doctor Ronny Jackson Withdraws As Trump’s Nominee To Head Veterans Affairs Department
Dr. Ronny Jackson, President Donald Trump’s embattled pick for Veterans Affairs secretary, withdrew his nomination after several allegations emerged about his conduct.
Jackson denied the allegations, which included accusations that he drank on the job and improperly gave out prescription medication. He said he was pulling out because the matter has become a distraction for the president.
“The allegations against me are completely false and fabricated,” Jackson, a rear admiral, wrote in a statement released early Thursday. “If they had any merit, I would not have been selected, promoted and entrusted to serve in such a sensitive and important role as physician to three presidents over the past 12 years.”
Despite his withdrawal to head the largest Cabinet department outside of the Pentagon, Jackson remains at the White House.
“Admiral Jackson is a doctor in the United States Navy assigned to the White House and is here at work today,” spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders said in a statement.
Jackson also served under Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama.
Trump himself vigorously defended Jackson on Thursday morning. Speaking to “Fox and Friends,” Trump said “there’s no proof” of the allegations. The president also targeted political opponents over the Jackson controversy.
“They’re trying to destroy a man,” the president said. “I think Jon Tester has to have a big price to pay in Montana.”
Tester, the Democratic senator who raised the concerns about Jackson, faces a tough re-election contest this year in Montana, a state Trump won easily in 2016.
The doctor’s withdrawal follows a bombshell New York Times report Wednesday that said Jackson allegedly provided a “large supply” of the opioid Percocet to a White House staffer, and wrecked a government car while intoxicated.
After that story was published online, Jackson told reporters that he “did not wreck a car.” Jackson, who is Trump’s personal physician in the White House, also said his nomination is “still moving ahead as planned” before walking away from reporters.
Jackson also allegedly wrote himself prescriptions, and after he was caught doing so he asked a physician assistant to provide the medication, the Times reported, citing a Democratic Senate staff summary of alleged conduct by Jackson.
The summary is based on testimony from 23 current and former colleagues of Jackson.
Previously, there were allegations that Jackson oversaw to a hostile work environment and drank alcohol on the job. There were already concerns about his experience and skill set for the job of leading an agency with 377,000 employees before the allegations emerged.
The Veterans Health Administration is the nation’s largest integrated health-care system, providing services for 9 million vets at 1,240 health-care facilities.
“The White House should take its time to carefully select and vet a new nominee for VA Secretary,” said Dan Caldwell, executive director of advocacy group Concerned Veterans for America. “Considering the tremendous challenges that the last three VA Secretaries have faced, it is important that a capable individual with a high level of integrity is selected for this important cabinet position.”
Trump picked Jackson last month after he fired Secretary David Shulkin, who was under scrutiny for alleged ethics violations and for his resistance to privatize veterans’ medical care.
Since Shulkin’s firing, the interim head of the VA has been Robert Wilkie, undersecretary of Defense for personnel and readiness.
Jackson’s appearance before the Senate committee reviewing his nomination, which was supposed to happen Wednesday, was postponed because of the claims.
But the White House aggressively defended Jackson on Wednesday, saying that at least four background investigations had found no areas of concern. Later that night, however, key White House officials were seen huddling with Jackson in the West Wing.
Courtesy : CNBC
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