Bost welcomes Atlanta VA’s decision to suspend police officers for misconduct

Republican Representative Mike Bost of Illinois, chairman of the U.S. House Veterans Affairs Committee, on May 30 expressed support for action taken in Atlanta to suspend three police officers employed at a U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) hospital in Decatur, Georgia, for inappropriate conduct, including sexual harassment and misconduct.

“I am pleased to see the Department finally taking action at the Atlanta VA to end this alleged chicanery and hold accountable those who have allowed it to continue for far too long,” Rep. Bost said in a statement. “Under my leadership, we will continue to pressure this administration when it comes to finally restoring accountability to the VA.”

In December, an oversight panel appointed by Chairman Bost visited the Joseph Maxwell Cleland Atlanta VA Medical Center (VAMC) to meet with police whistleblowers who had contacted his committee to raise allegations of sexual harassment, retaliation and misconduct within the Atlanta VAMC Police Department, the congressman’s statement said.

Over the next few months, the team worked with the whistleblowers and the VA to gather information. Then, on May 3, Rep. Bost sent a letter to VA Secretary Denis McDonough requesting information about the investigation and the facts surrounding the alleged problems within the agency’s police department. The letter also provided the names of the police officers employed by the Atlanta VAMC who are under investigation.

“Men and women who commit or allow harassment and misconduct in any form – especially sexual harassment – have no place serving our nation’s veterans,” said Rep. Bost. “My oversight team rightly listened to these whistleblowers when they turned to Congress for help, but I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: The VA’s own employees should not feel like they have to turn to Congress for action against toxic leaders.”