The Great Smoky Mountain Journal

Staff, Wire Reports

Posted: Sunday, January 21, 2018 03:54 PM

Former Head OF VA Fired Again By Trump Administration; Recent VA Accountability Act Allowed WH To Take Action

The former director of the VA Medical Center in Washington has been fired – again.

The Department of Veterans Affairs announced Wednesday that former director Brian Hawkins had been dismissed “for his failure to provide effective leadership to the D.C. Medical Center.”

Officials said he was ousted under the VA Accountability Act, which President Trump signed into law in June.

Hawkins was initially ousted in July. But the VA was forced to rehire him in August after the federal Merit Systems Protection Board ordered a stay of the firing. Hawkins has argued he was wrongly terminated.

The department’s inspector general found that Hawkins violated the VA's policies by sending sensitive VA information from his work email to unsecured private email accounts.

“We at VA will use the authorities available to ensure our Veterans get the highest quality service and care possible,” VA Secretary David Shulkin said in a statement. “This is the right decision for veterans in D.C., and employees at the medical center, and underscores our commitment to hold employees accountable if they fail to do their jobs or live up to VA’s values.”

After his reinstatement, Hawkins held an administrative position at the VA headquarters rather than a patient-care position at the VA Medical Center.

The VA said Wednesday that Hawkins was notified in late August that he was “being proposed for removal.”

Fox News’ Jodie Curtis contributed to this report.