Thread by @MarkSZaidEsq

1/Scathing @DeptVetAffairs OIG Report issued today on how VA leadership mishandled investigation into sexual harassment of our client @AN_Goldstein, decorated Navy vet.

Really sad to see victimization of victims. Statements to follow.

va.gov/oig/pubs/VAOIG…

2/Statement of Andrea Goldstein (@AN_Goldstein)

3/Statement of Mark S. Zaid, Attorney for Andrea Goldstein

4/Findings of VA OIG investigation:

1. The OIG Cannot Substantiate that Secretary Wilkie Investigated or Asked Others to Investigate the Veteran

2. Senior VA Officials Questioned the Veteran’s Credibility, and VA Police Initially Scrutinized the Veteran

5/

3. Multiple VA Officials Testified that Secretary Wilkie Remarked that the Veteran Had Made, or May Have Made, Prior Similar Complaints

4. VA Officials Attempted to Focus the National Media on the Veteran’s Background and Credibility

6/

5. VA Leaders Did Not Fully Consider or Take Appropriate
Administrative and Other Corrective Actions Despite Having Access to Relevant Information

7/OIG Conclusion is worthy of posting in full:

"The evidence is replete with examples of VA senior leaders undertaking defensive actions and engaging in confrontational messaging while failing to recognize the need to take corrective action to address known problems....

8/...Secretary Wilkie and other VA officials privately disparaged the veteran, with the Secretary referring to her as “the Takano staffer whose glamor shot was in
the New York Times.” The tone set by Secretary Wilkie was at minimum unprofessional and at worst provided the basis

9/...for senior officials to put out information to national reporters to question the credibility and background of the veteran who filed the sexual assault complaint.

10/This report details the statements and conduct of senior VA leaders that appear to undermine
VA’s stated goals of providing a safe and welcoming environment for all veterans and to treat
complainants of sexual assault with respect.

11/VA leaders failed to make meaningful efforts to
determine what corrective measures may be needed in response to the sexual assault complaint, while engaging the media to focus on the complainant. Together with statements made by Secretary Wilkie and other leaders, ...

12/...this approach points to a lack of genuine commitment by senior leaders to address the serious issues raised by the veteran’s complaint. The OIG is not making any formal recommendations for the reasons outlined in each section of the report,...

13/...but will continue to monitor VA’s progress in addressing proposed actions as to the contractor and
any administrative actions VA deems appropriate on other issues identified by the OIG."

END/Also worth noting how @RepDanCrenshaw/@DanCrenshawTX refused to cooperate w/VA OIG & stayed silent on the criticism directed at him. What he did behind the scenes was deplorable & unfitting a Member of Congress.

https://twitter.com/MarkSZaidEsq/status/1329615233581801473?s=20

Mark Zaid, Goldstein's attorney, told Newsweek in a statement that Crenshaw's "silence says it all."

newsweek.com/rep-dan-crensh…