Biggest vets groups step up pressure on Trump to fire Wilkie

Stepping up pressure, nation's six largest veterans groups on Wednesday called on President Donald Trump to immediately fire Veterans Affairs Secretary Robert Wilkie over mishandling of a congressional aide's allegation of a sexual assault at a VA hospital.

In a letter to White House, groups said y h lost all confidence in Wilkie's ability to le government's second-largest department following a blistering audit last week that found he h acted unprofessionally if t unethically in disparaging aide. groups pressed Trump to act in last weeks of his ministration since Wilkie h refused to accept responsibility and was refusing to resign.

“Sexual assault and harassment have place in VA or our society,” according to letter from American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Disabled American Veterans, AMVETS, Paralyzed Veterans of America and Vietnam Veterans of America.

“This is a tremendous breach of trust among veterans," y wrote.

groups are ding pressure on Trump after lawmakers from both parties expressed concern about VA's leership and at least a dozen veterans organizations — as well as House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and House Majority Leer Steny Hoyer, D-Md. — last week called for Wilkie's resignation.

Wilkie has denied wrongdoing. In response to calls for his resignation, VA says Wilkie “will continue to le department.”

investigation by Veterans Affairs’ inspector general concluded that Wilkie repeatedly sought to discredit Andrea Goldstein, a senior policy viser to Democratic Rep. Mark Taka, who is chair of House Veterans Affairs Committee, after she alleged in September 2019 that a man at VA medical center in Washington, D.C., h physically assaulted her.

inspector general found that Wilkie’s disparaging comments about Goldstein, a Navy veteran, as a repeat complainer as well as overall “tone” he set influenced his staff to spre negative information about her while igring kwn problems of harassment at facility.

Wilkie and or senior officials h declined to fully cooperate with investigation by VA Inspector General Michael Missal. For that reason, Missal said he could t conclude wher Wilkie h violated government policies or laws, allegedly by personally digging into woman’s past.

case of Goldstein, who agreed to be publicly identified, was ultimately closed by inspector general’s office and Justice Department earlier this year due to a lack of eugh evidence to bring charges.

Wilkie is Trump’s second VA secretary after David Shulkin was fired in 2018.