Tempers Flare At Hearing On Vet Suicides

Congress Turns Up The Heat On VA Secretary Amid Cover-up Scandal

(CBS)  The name of the hearing said it all: "The truth about veteran suicides."

After playing clips of recent CBS News reports from April 21st and 25th of this year outlining attempts within the Department of Veterans Affairs to "cover up" suicide data, Committee Chairman Bob Filner lashed out at the man in charge, Secretary James Peake, accusing the V.A. of "criminal negligence," reports CBS News chief investigative correspondent Armen Keteyian.

"What we see is a pattern -- deny, deny, deny." Filner said.

With his embattled Director of Mental Health Dr. Ira Katz at his side, Secretary Peake presented a detailed series of charts and graphs generally backing CBS News suicide data.

"Far from hiding this issue we are more public about it than any organization that I know," Peake said.

"I've never had concern about their overall estimate for numbers of veteran suicides," Katz told the committee.

But several lawmakers weren't buying it, citing a Feb. 13 e-mail titled "Not for CBS News" where Katz appears to be trying to keep attempted suicide numbers quiet.

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Read the e-mail, "Re: Not For the CBS News Interview Request"
Read an e-mail quoting suicide numbers

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"That was very unfortunate," Katz said. "It was an error. I apologize for that."

Outside the hearing room we asked Peake to answer repeated calls from Congress for Katz's resignation.

"I do not have any intention of relieving Dr. Katz," Peake said.

"So Dr. Katz stays?" asked Keteyian.

"That's my plan, absolutely," Peake answered.

Peake said the plan now is to sweep aside any talk of a cover-up and tell Congress and the American public the truth about veteran suicides.

CBS News first reported on the epidemic of suicide in the V.A. in November 2007, finding that more than 6,000 veterans killed themselves in 2005 alone. That averages out to more than 120 per week. Katz immediately dismissed our report at a December 12th committee hearing, saying CBS’s numbers were not “an accurate reflection of the rates.”

[missingamerica]

That is the amazing thing about this Administration - they rode in on a platform the emphasized the moral turpitude of the Democrats, and then what do they do when they get into office?

They repeatedly display a historically unprecedented lack of ethics and morality, with each episode emphasized by one official after another insisting that nobody has to resign or otherwise take responsibility, as if immoral and unethical behavior was actually in the job description!

lollll....face it, America - this Administration and Republicans in general think IT IS THEIR JOB to knock you down, rape you, and then rob you....

[bobnjersey]

["I do not have any intention of relieving Dr. Katz," Peake said. "So Dr. Katz stays?" asked Keteyian. "That''s my plan absolutely," Peake answered.]

fire them both. of course they''re going to say they didn''t really mean it. maybe they can use the ''i wasnt at the meeting excuse'' ... seems to work for every other ''public servant'' gone awry.

[gkc99]

That Bushit sure knows how to support our soldiers!

[symc655]

I am ashamed to say I work for the VA. Now if you do any whistle blowing you will be denied promotion and treated as the enemy. There is no protection from EEOC or the Union for employees who tell the truth. The corruption, lies, and misrepresentation of of statistical data is in many more areas than suicide. No one cares to look deeper because no one cares about the veteran. Managers are there for their own benefit and rewards. Administration is a joke and are clueless to day to day operations. Most of them are incompetent. I can''t wait to leave so I can write a book on what I really know.

[brianbwb-2009]

"We''re as far from hiding information from the public as anyone I know," Peake said."

That could very well (and probably does) mean that everyone Peake knows is hiding information from the public. If everyone is doing it, then the statement is accurate.

[brianbwb-2009]

"I''ve never had a concern with their overall numbers," Katz told the committee."

But the families of the suicides have, even if Katz didn''t.

Wasn''t a Dr. Katz a cartoon character at one time? If he wasn''t then, he certainly is now...

[jammin551]

Seriously now, how much of this ____ are you willing to take. Bush and all of his cronies should have been kicked out of office years ago. They are as incompetent as they are dishonest and corrupt. "Support the Troops" right...ibsteve2u thanks for this truth telling: "lollll....face it, America - this Administration and Republicans in general think IT IS THEIR JOB to knock you down, rape you, and then rob you...."

[woodjd42]

Yesterday I recieved in the mail from VA a letter telling me about the suicide hotline. These people are something else. This country has never cared about vets. Like toilet paper, use and flush.

[jjp735i]

I hope the troops are seeing what Bush & Friends are doing for them once they return. Which is almost less than nothing. Now that is the Republican Party we know and hate.

Why is the VA treating their own in such an ugly manner? Why is Bush not stepping in and demanding Katz be removed?

[timeisrite]

We all must ask ourselves; what cruel things are they being made to do over there.

[Gary Kempf]

The saddest fact is this is not new. The VA has had this attitude for decades. These idiots are only using these positions as stepping stones to better jobs in the civilian medical industry. They will probably walk away with full retirements from the government. Yet our vets are left behind, ignored, and dismissed as easily as todays trash. Men and woman in uniform served this country with dignity and pride, Why can''t they receive what they earned?

[acolton1]

This is a very sad story.

[pollroller1]

I don''t think it is just the Republicans that do this kind of stuff. I think the Democrats are just as guilty. Any time you fill a government position with an appointee, you will get this level of incompetence.

[Gary Kempf]

pollroller1 at 08:39 AM : May 07, 2008

This wasn''t done by any particular party

The political machine as a whole is the cause of this problem!!!!!!!

[samrensho]

The government treats soldiers like paper towels. They make a big mess, use the towels to clean it up and throw them away. Problem solved or rather "Mission Accomplished". This ilk in Washington make me sick.

[ramos937]

99.5% of VA employees are hardworking, unpaid,overworked and dedicated to helping the Vet. But, now and then you come across a Dr. Katz and Sec. Peake.

There has to be a reason why these two are keeping their jobs in view of their performances. Hopefully, the committee can find out why.

Question: Why did the GOP never have these kinds of committee meetings while they controlled Congress?

[caliguy55]

For anyone who doesn''t believe McSame will live up to his name:

John McCain%u2019s senior campaign staff and President Bush%u2019s senior White House staff are so close that the McCain folks let the Bush folks know in advance whenever McCain is about to distance himself from the unpopular president, says a top McCain aide. Case in point, says Charlie Black, was McCain%u2019s criticism last week of Bush%u2019s handling of Hurricane Katrina. %u201CDisgraceful%u201D is how McCain classified it during a New Orleans campaign stop. %u201CWe have an excellent relationship with the White House,%u201D Black told reporters at a Friday lunch. %u201CThe senior staffs talk literally every day, sometimes more than once a day.%u201D%u201CSo they realize that from time to time we will disagree with the president on issues. And the important thing is to coordinate and, whenever possible, give them a heads-up about what we are going to say so that they can be prepared for it. They knew that we were going to New Orleans and going to the Ninth Ward and knew what to expect, so I don%u2019t think they were surprised,%u201D Black said.

[bm6005]

The government treats soldiers like paper towels. They make a big mess, use the towels to clean it up and throw them away. Problem solved or rather "Mission Accomplished". This ilk in Washington make me sick.
Posted by samrensho

Nothing new to see here, move along. Same old c rap, same as Korean vets, same as Viet Nam vets, same as WWI vets. The gov''t is not your friend. They s hit on their vets and reward the draft dodgers such as GWBushit, ******** Cheney, Feith, Hadley, Wolfie, etc.

[plainjean]

If George W. Bush was my Commander-and-Chief I would seriously consider committing suicide too! Furthermore, speaking for myself if I had voted for him twice knowing what we do know now, I would commit suicide!

[karlo59]

You people saying that it''s ALL the parties that are at fault is a bunch of BS. Republicans have been using OUR militay like dogs for their personal gains. They have been trying to bankrupt the middle and lower class in this country for years. Their goal...........to force every one of these people into the military so THEIR kids don''t have to go. That''s is why they don''t want a draft.

[Gary Kempf]

karlo59;
My dislike for Bush and his evil little side kick VP, are well documented by past postings. Again, the problems in the VA can not be laid at the Republican parties feet alone. The lack of proper treatment of veterans gos back decades, very sadly. The problems in the VA is, and has always been caused by the political machine in Washington D.C., meaning all those in a position to correct the problem, chose to ignore it.
I agree Bush has used the military like dogs, he has no mental capability to understand the value of their lives. Those that have died, or those that have come home wounded or suffering after effects.......

[moosbrth]

Katz sound like a total wimp, sounds like Bush defending Gonzalez, how long before Katz jumps ship? There is nothing the Bush administration has done right, appointees are all the worst that could be found.

[RaferJanders]

18 vets kill themselves everyday, but it seems not to be news worthy, I blame every American, Hope you all feel safe in your warm beds, hope you can sleep soundly knowing that the people fighting for our "freedom" are killing the selfs, There will be a day of justice,James you have been branded a War Crimnal, YOU WILL GET YOURS! this crime will not go unpunished

[wolfi101]

Criminal negligence is right.

[enriquecaliente]

If you all think that the Taliban want to live back in the dark ages, then take a good look at the people who are running our supposed government. They want all of us to live life like it was back when Kings and the High Lord of the Court ruled. They want to erase the middle class. To attack this man is useless. He''s Bush''s puppet and he''s only doing as he told. This argument may not have worked at Nuremberg but it works for the Republitars all the time. The fools who follow blindly will always be sheep. Watch FOX news at take a good look at the people there, all of them doesn''t matter black/white or whatever, look down at everyone else. They feed on fear and push it to the American people like Heroin. And we the people lick it all up. When the end comes, we''ll have reaped what we have sowed. To the people in power, we are NOTHING, but FODDER. Born to do their bidding and dieing.

Where are the WMD''s.
Why are the people who outed a CIA agent still walking the streets.
Why hasn''t anyone looked into how the Justice Department was used by the Republiclowns.
Bush and his staff laughing all the way to the bank.
If you want to watch Pigs rolling around in $hit, watch Bushes daughters wedding.

[tibu987]

It is time for a complete overhaul of the VA.
From the lackadaisical employees who seem to have time for everything except taking care of the vets.
From the top, the decision makers who decide that a vet who has lost a quarter of his brain and head and is given a 10% disability.
And, for the VA hospitals that have a higher death and MRSA rate than all other hospitals.
Etc., etc., etc.

Our vets deserve nothing less than the very best care that this Country can give, NOTHING less.
And, it is our duty as appreciative Americans to see that our vets get the very best of everything.
Write the President, your senator, your congressman and tell them.
I do.

[cajetano]

Once again I''m reminded to thank all you BOZOS that voted for Bush/Cheney (aka Don Quixote/Sancho Panza) not once but twice.

I hope you feel good going to the bank at the expense of the poor people who are protecting your fat posteriors.