#Middlebury #VeteransPost
I really hate when this happens: Someone you trust to do the right things turns out to possibly not be trustworthy after all. This is what has happened with Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary David Shulkin.
The facts look bad.
Shulkin was invited to London for a two-day meeting of officials from various countries to talk about veterans issues. Before going, he asked his staff to put together a side trip to Denmark to speak with the Danes about Danish healthcare.
Shulkin’s wife traveled with him. Approval for paying her way was declined when it was determined that it wasn’t in the government’s best interest. Up stepped his chief of staff, who, after altering emails, claimed that Shulkin was to receive an award at the ambassador’s place in Copenhagen. Therefore, by the rules, the wife’s travel would be paid. Except there was no award.
A VA employee, working with the wife on her wish list of things to see and do, played travel agent on VA time.
While in London, Shulkin and his wife attended Wimbledon using tickets given to them by an alleged friend of his wife. During the subsequent investigation interview, that “friend” could not remember Shulkin’s wife’s name.
During the nine days they were away, only three-and-a-half days were spent in official meetings. Among a long list of unofficial activities, they visited palaces, took tours, zipped over to Sweden for dinner, went to Buckingham Palace, took a Thames River cruise and much more, apparently dragging security staff along the whole way.
Changes in travel plans added $15,699 to airfare costs, but there was insufficient documentation to verify all of the other expenses, which totaled $122,000.
Color me disappointed to have to suspect that Shulkin is no different from the rest of them.
(c) 2017 King Features Synd. Inc.
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