http://washingtonexaminer.com/article/2548077/American Legion calls on Veterans Affairs chief Eric Shinseki to resign
BY MARK FLATTEN | MAY 5, 2014 AT 2:23 PM
Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki should resign because of the string of preventable patient deaths at veterans’ hospitals and the persistent backlog in processing disability claims, the head of the American Legion said Monday.
Daniel Dellinger, national commander of the nation’s largest veterans’ organization, called for the resignations of Shinseki; Robert Petzel, under secretary for health; and Alison Hickey, under secretary of benefits, at VA.
Dellinger ticked through a litany of scandals at the agency, including preventable deaths at hospitals across the country and attempts to cover up internal agency failures rather than hold those responsible accountable. Shinseki has also rewarded those responsible for the agency's failures with merit bonuses and positive performance reviews, Dellinger said.
Shinseki’s legacy in the job he has held since 2009 is one of “poor oversight and failed leadership,” Dellinger said.
“The existing leadership has exhibited a pattern of bureaucratic incompetence and failed leadership,” Dellinger said. “VA leadership has demonstrated its incompetence through preventable deaths of veterans,” Dellinger said.
