Veterans Affairs deputy secretary vows to punish demoted executives whose demotions were reversed

Court of Appeals reversed the demotion order for two executives accused of questionable job scheme, but deputy secretary of the Veterans Affairs vowed to punish the pair.

In a report from The Virginian Pilot, Deputy VA Secretary Sloan Gibson demoted Diana Rubens and Kimberly Graves in January after they forced two lower rank managers to quit their current positions so they can step in on the vacant jobs themselves and keep their senior level salary while reducing their job responsibilities. In short, the two executives manipulated the company's hiring system for selfish intentions.

However, federal judges reversed the demotion orders on the grounds that higher-ranking officials knew about the job scheme and did nothing to stop them and that penalizing both executives would reveal inconsistency with the Veterans Affairs' failure to discipline higher-ranking officials.

In a published statement from Military Times, Gibson said, "We have charges that have been sustained, but with no punishment. I don't believe that reflects the intent of Congress in passing (new accountability) laws." That's why the deputy secretary is set to investigate further regarding other violations that needed punishment. There are high ranking officials who are under fire for a series of judgement errors that cost $400,000 in relocation expenses for a revolving door of leadership moves. 

CBS Local Minnesota reports that the deputy secretary will not remove Rubens and Graves from the government's Senior Executive Service as he did when he demoted them. Now he seeks to investigate two other executives whose names were dragged during the judicial rulings. These executives were Danny Pummill and Beth McCoy. Pummill was aware of the actions done by Rubens and Graves but made no action on it. McCoy, on the other hand, pressured a regional manager to leave his position. She didn't face any ramifications and was even promoted after that.

Gibson sets to interview both Pummill and McCoy regarding their actions and saidf there is evidence of misconduct not available previously, he will take actions.

Tags

Veterans Affairs, job scam, deputy secretary, demotion, VA, Court of Appeals

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