The VA Office of the Inspector General has released a report after conducting an investigation into the circumstances at the Tomah VA. With the release of the report, it’s worth remembering Ron Johnson’s attempts to point fingers, shift responsibility and avoid all accountability for the role he and his office played in letting Tomah whistleblower complaints die in “the equivalent of a congressional black hole.”
Here’s a look back at Johnson’s irresponsible behavior and refusal to take responsibility:
• A headline from a story this March in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel said it all: “Ron Johnson aides sat on whistleblower tips on Tomah VA.”
• Johnson then ridiculously tried to blame the other Senator from Wisconsin, Tammy Baldwin, for his office failing to take action.
• After Baldwin took action to discipline members of her staff, local media demanded that Ron Johnson do the same…but of course he didn’t (even though he previously almost fired all of his staff for not being political enough).
• Then Johnson actually tried to blame his inaction on the lame duck session of Congress and the fact that he was doing “job interviews and stuff.” He tried this excuse again a few weeks later.
• And finally, Johnson resorted to complete lies as he tried to claim he didn’t get any whistleblower reports until January, when he actually received them in September of the previous year.
“Ron Johnson’s tried everything to cover up his inaction on the Tomah VA complaints – pointing fingers, making lame excuses, and even straight up lying about what he knew and when he knew it,” said Sadie Weiner, DSCC National Press Secretary. “Wisconsin veterans deserve better than a Senator who fails to act on their behalf while shifting blame to anyone and anything else, and Ron Johnson needs to step up and accept responsibility for letting these whistleblower complaints die.”
