Trump loyalists at VA shuffling, purging employees before new secretary takes over
Source: The Washington Post
By Lisa Rein
July 18 at 2:32 PM
Ahead of Robert Wilkies likely confirmation to lead the Department of Veterans Affairs, Trump loyalists at the agency are taking aggressive steps to purge or reassign staff perceived to be disloyal to President Trump and his agenda for veterans, according to multiple people familiar with the moves.
The transfers include more than a dozen career civil servants who have been moved from the leadership suite at VA headquarters and reassigned to lower-visibility roles. The employees served agency leaders, some dating back more than two decades, in crucial support roles that help a new secretary. None say they were given reasons for their reassignments.
The moves are being carried out by a small cadre of political appointees led by Acting Secretary Peter ORourke who have consolidated power in the four months since they helped oust former Secretary David Shulkin.
The reshuffling marks a new stage in a long estrangement between civil servants and Trump loyalists at VA, where staff upheaval and sinking morale threatens to derail service to one of the presidents key constituencies, according to current and former employees.
Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/trump-loyalists-at-va-shuffling-purging-employees-before-new-secretary-takes-over/2018/07/18/a4462aae-892d-11e8-8aea-86e88ae760d8_story.html
dameatball
(7,380 posts)as in so many other crucial policy areas, he's just a pass-through for the kook brothers and their vile agenda.
bucolic_frolic
(42,680 posts)LiberalLovinLug
(14,154 posts)Or will we once again pander to some mythical 'moderate Republican' who may take offense if we dared to do the same and reverse the hirings and even re-hire some of the staff let go. Or will we hire more Republicans like Comey to head intelligence agencies and other departments in the weak hope that it will be seen as an olive branch to McConnell and his chums and they will respect that and be more conciliatory themselves.
Because i say enough with trying to play both sides and try to prove how non-partison you can be with hirings. I am so sick of this failing strategy.
not fooled
(5,791 posts)that's what needs to happen. Otherwise it's 3 steps back (pukes pushing their agenda) then only 1 step forward.
Shipwack
(2,138 posts)If they are moving staff around fearing that senior members will actively work against Trump appointees and his policies...
That is because that is exactly what they plan on doing when a Democratic President comes into power.