Did Shulkin get fired or resign? This is why it matters

[DonViejo]

Trump potentially opened the door to legal challenges that could hobble the VA.

By ANDREW RESTUCCIA 03/31/2018 10:50 AM EDT

The White House is now asserting that recently departed Veterans Affairs Secretary David Shulkin resigned. Shulkin has made it clear in his public comments that he was forced out.

While Washington often wraps firings in the verbal cloak of a resignation, the distinction this time could have far-reaching implications that could throw the Department of Veterans Affairs, the second-largest federal agency, into further disarray.

In announcing the removal of Shulkin as VA secretary, Trump tapped Defense Department official Robert Wilkie as the acting leader of the department, bypassing Shulkin’s deputy, who was next in line to succeed him. That decision has reignited a debate among legal experts about the president’s ability to hand-pick replacements for ousted Cabinet secretaries.

The debate centers on vague language in the Federal Vacancies Reform Act of 1998, which gives the president broad authority to temporarily fill a vacancy at a federal agency with an acting official if the current office holder “dies, resigns, or is otherwise unable to perform the functions and duties of the office.”

more
https://www.politico.com/story/2018/03/31/did-shulkin-get-fired-or-resign-veterans-492877

[procon]

1. So Trump is trying to slip in a temp appointee to avoid a messy confirmation

hearing of another one of his controversial, incompetent and unqualified nominees. Wonder what lobbyist for privatizing the VA will get the job?

[Achilleaze]

2. Sounds to me like Shulkin's Deputy should get the job

since Shulkin was fired, according to his side of the story. So maybe Dirty Donny* won't get to appoint his stooge who wants to PRIVATIZE & MONETIZE the VA. Going to be a corporate clusterfuck of epic proportions if the KGOP repube profit-wankers get their way.


* aka republican Draft-Dodger-in-Chief

[Sophia4]

3. Maybe if Shulkin resigned, he can undo his resignation????

Joking of course, but why not?

[moondust]

4. "further disarray"

may be exactly what the scoundrels are trying to create so they can say the VA is clearly in "disarray" and therefore needs to be privatized. This could potentially be their plan for other government services: appoint incompetents and scoundrels to create disarray and then claim privatization is the fix for the disarray.

I've never had a problem with any kind of "disarray" at my local VA.

[Rollo]

5. If the crux of this matter is whether Shulkin resigned or was fired...

Trump could easily resolve it by producing Shulkin's letter of resignation...

...or Trump could continue lying about it...