OSHKOSH – Senator Ron Johnson, (R-Wis.) made these remarks regarding the retirement of Deputy VA Inspector General Griffin:

“I welcome the news of the retirement of Richard Griffin, the deputy inspector general of the Department of Veterans Affairs, and wish him the best in his future endeavors. 

“During Griffin’s tenure leading the office, the VA OIG failed to make 140 reports public and administratively closed a two-year-long investigation exposing problems at the VA Medical Center in Tomah, Wisconsin.  My committee has opened an investigation into why the VA OIG inexplicably closed this report and was forced to subpoena Mr. Griffin for documents his office withheld.  To date, he has not fully complied with this subpoena.  

“Our nation’s veterans deserve the best watchdog the president and Congress can provide.  I again call upon the president to promptly nominate a permanent inspector general for the Department of Veterans Affairs.  Once he does, I will work with my colleagues in the Senate to confirm his nominee and restore trust in our nation’s most important watchdogs. 

“I hope new leadership will bring a renewed commitment to transparency and accountability in the Office of Inspector General and lead to better protections for our nation’s veterans.”

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