There is just no end to this stuff in the Trump administration.
According to the Washington Post, via Pro-Publica, the Secretary of the VA Robert Wilkie tried to smear Congressman Mark Takano’s senior policy adviser Andrea Goldstein for reporting that she was sexually assaulted at the VA’s Washington hospital. He claimed she had filed numerous reports of sexual harassment and assault when she was a Naval officer and wanted people to dig up dirt on her personal life:
Over several months, Wilkie shared his findings with his senior staff at morning meetings on at least six occasions, three current or former senior VA officials confirmed. Wilkie said his inquiry found that the Navy veteran, who currently serves as a Navy Reserve intelligence officer, had filed multiple complaints while in the service, according to three people with knowledge of what Wilkie said. Wilkie also served as an intelligence officer in the Navy Reserve.
The information shared with Takano’s committee and with The Post said Wilkie was concerned with Goldstein’s “credibility and military record.” The VA official who shared it said Wilkie described Goldstein to his staff as a “serial sexual assault/harassment complainant in the Navy who made baseless allegations, for example, when she was not satisfied with a fitness evaluation.”
“The strong inference was made that all were false allegations,” the VA official wrote. A fitness evaluation in the military is the equivalent of a civilian performance review. The information was shared anonymously with the committee, but The Post has determined it was sent by a senior VA official. The allegations were first reported by ProPublica.
In an interview with The Post, Goldstein said she filed a formal complaint with the Navy just once before her experience at the VA hospital. The Post typically does not name people who report a sexual assault but Goldstein has spoken publicly about her experiences.
He apparently wanted his staff to spread dirt on Goldstein and they refused. He even enlisted a MAGA congressman:
As Wilkie delved deeper into Goldstein’s military service, he also told his staff he had invited Rep. Dan Crenshaw (R-Tex.) a former Navy SEAL officer, to his office, according to the current and former VA officials. Crenshaw and Goldstein had once deployed on the same Middle East mission.AD
After Crenshaw’s visit, Wilkie said the congressman agreed with his findings that Goldstein had filed multiple complaints of harassment and assault, according to two people with knowledge of the meeting.
Crenshaw denies it. I don’t believe him.
Wilkie’s search for damaging information on Goldstein, according to the sources, took place as the inspector general was conducting a formal investigation into her sexual assault complaint. After that case was closed, Wilkie issued a public letter to Takano referring to “unsubstantiated claims raised by you and your staff” that “could deter our veterans from seeking the care they need and deserve.”
The wording of the letter seemed to disparage Goldstein. Several senior VA officials had urged Wilkie to use more neutral language, fearing it would look like he was blaming a victim of sexual misconduct, according to current and former agency officials. Wilkie overruled them.
Wilkie’s letter prompted an angry rebuttal from Takano, and from Missal, who disputed Wilkie’s characterization of Goldstein’s allegations. Missal said just because no charges were filed did not mean her claims were unsubstantiated. The man in the incident was a hospital vendor.
Hutton, the spokesman, on Friday said Wilkie regretted the language he used in the letter.
Yeah well, fuck him. He’s a disgrace. In a normal world, he’d be fired.
I wouldn’t be surprised to see Trump give him the Medal of Freedom.
You can read the whole story at Pro-Publica, here.