A Political Operator who Led an Office created by President Trump to Expose Wrongdoing at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) used his Position to Quash Whistleblowers and Retaliate against Foes, according to an Inspector General (IG) Report released Thursday.
The Accusations involve Peter O’Rourke, who Trump Appointed in 2017 to Lead the New Office of Accountability and Whistleblower Protection, and his Successor, Kirk Nicholas.
The VA IG Audit said that under O’Rourke and Nicholas, the Whistleblower’s Office Ended Investigations into Allies of Senior Officials, Failed to consistently Report to Congress and Refused to Honor Whistleblowers’ Demands for Anonymity. The Office used Unfair and Shoddy Investigative Procedures, and in some Cases Didn’t Interview the Subjects of some Complaints, the Report said.
The VA Agreed with the Report's Recommendations and Promised to do More to Protect Whistleblower Anonymity.
O’Rourke, who since August has been Executive Director of the Florida GOP, was for a Time Chief of Staff to then VA Secretary David Shulkin. The Former Secretary, Fired by Trump in March 2018, Accuses O'Rourke in a Recent Book of Conducting Policy behind his back with White House Officials and Three Influential Members of Trump’s Mar-a-Lago Country Club.
After Shulkin's Firing, O’Rourke became Acting VA Secretary for Three Months and then a Senior Adviser to Secretary Robert Wilkie, who Sacked him last December.
GOP Officials described O'Rourke as Trump’s “Hand Picked” Appointment to the senior Staff Position in the Florida Republican Party. He enjoyed the Backing of Ike Perlmutter, the Marvel Entertainment Chairman who along with Two other Mar-a-Lago Members had Exercised Tremendous Influence at Trump’s VA.
The Inspector General Report said that O’Rourke had Directly Retaliated against at least Two Whistleblowers by Downgrading their Jobs. It said he had Intervened in the Investigation of a Political Ally, producing a Favorable Outcome for that Person.
O’Rourke told the Investigators that some VA Employees had made Careers of Filing Complaints to the whistleblower’s Office or the Inspector General.
That Perspective is shared by many Former VA Officials who describe a Culture of Backstabbing there.
Trump Created the VA Whistleblower Office Early in his Term after the Department had been Rocked by a Scandal involving a Cover-Up of Long Appointment Waiting Times for Sick Veterans.
Recently, as Trump became the Subject of an Impeachment Inquiry that stemmed from a Whistleblower’s Report, he has said he would like to see Whistleblowers face more Scrutiny and Fewer Protections.
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