The White House is not backing down from it support of Rear Adm. Ronny Jackson, President Trump’s nominee to become Secretary of Veterans Affairs. Despite Trump on Tuesday giving Dr. Jackson an out, saying the decision to withdraw in the face of terrible accusations is his, the Rear Admiral is pressing on – and the White House is in full offensive mode.
“White House says it will request Senate Veterans’ Affairs committee hold hearing on Dr. Ronny Jackson’s nomination,” ABC News tweeted late Wednesday morning.
“We’ll be making the request to Chairman Isakson that he get his hearing,” White House Legislative Affairs Director Marc Short told ABC News.
Wednesday afternoon Sarah Huckabee Sanders told reporters that Jackson has had more vetting than most.
“Because Dr. Jackson has worked within arm’s reach of three presidents, he has received more vetting than most nominees.” It’s unclear how that’s true.
The allegations against Dr. Jackson, who has served as the Physician to the President since 2006, if true, as are staggering.
According to multiple news reports and the Democratic Ranking Member on the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee, 20 current and former staffers who worked with or under Jackson say he was drunk on the job, over-prescribed medication – he was called “the candy man” – and he created a hostile work environment.
All the allegations aside, Democratic and Republican lawmakers have expressed concern over Jackson’s qualifications – he has no experience and the VA is a $180 billion agency that serves 20 million vets.