Bustos Waits Weeks, Finally Joins Schilling and Others in Calling for Shinseki's Resignation

Press Release

U.S. Rep. Cheri Bustos (D-East Moline) has finally joined Bobby Schilling (R-Colona) and others in calling for VA Secretary Eric Shinseki's resignation. Bustos spent weeks defending Shinseki and the Obama Administration before her announcement yesterday.

According to a new report, more than 1,700 military veterans may have been "lost or forgotten" at the Phoenix, Arizona VA hospital where 40 veterans died after being improperly waitlisted. This systemic incompetence is not limited to the Phoenix VA hospital, however--42 VA hospitals across the country are now under investigation for similar issues with waitlists and backlogs.

Jon Schweppe, communications director for the Bobby Schilling for Congress campaign, released the following statement:

"After weeks of excuses and insincere explanations, Congresswoman Bustos has finally joined Bobby Schilling in recognizing that VA Secretary Eric Shinseki has failed leading the Veterans Administration and should resign.

"It's clear that Congresswoman Bustos, a communications and marketing expert, waited on some poll results to tell her that she should call for Shinseki's resignation. Real leaders don't wait to see what the focus groups say. They do the right thing, take action, and worry about the political consequences later. If Congresswoman Bustos was worried about veterans, she would have been much more proactive during this VA scandal. Unfortunately, she's done veterans a huge disservice by remaining completely disengaged until the fervor surrounding this scandal required her to make a statement.

"That's not a leader. That's a politician worried about November."

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