VA IG Nominee Grilled on 'Illegal' Firings and Secretary Collins' Reorganization

VA IG Nominee's Stance on Investigations

• ❓ Senator Blumenthal questioned VA OIG nominee Cheryl Mason on whether she would investigate Secretary Collins for alleged mass terminations of employees found to be illegal by courts.
• ⚠️ Mason stated that if confirmed, she would investigate improper terminations impacting veteran benefits, care, or services, but deferred comment on ongoing litigation.
• 🎯 Regarding Secretary Collins' proposed reorganization, Mason indicated she would assess the need for an investigation after actions occur, not before.

Nominee's Role in Firings and Reorganization

• 🚫 Mason denied having any role in current or planned firings of VA employees, attributing those actions to HR and General Counsel.
• 💼 She admitted to conveying the acting secretary's direction for reassignments of Senior Executive Service (SES) staff as part of a reorganization aimed at restoring accountability and ensuring collaboration.
• 🗣️ Blumenthal pressed Mason on her involvement, characterizing her actions as participating in the firings and being a loyal aide to Secretary Collins, which she refuted by stating her loyalty is to veterans.

Concerns Over Independence and Transparency

• 🧐 Blumenthal expressed concern over Mason's unwillingness to review mass firings and her responses, labeling her a political appointee and a member of the Collins team.
• ⚖️ He stated he would object to her nomination, emphasizing her role as a political appointee rather than a career civil servant.
• 🤝 Mason maintained her role as a senior advisor was to gather information and provide advice, and that if confirmed as IG, she would work for the committee as well.
• 🤐 Mason also stated she had no involvement in requests for VA employees to sign non-disclosure agreements.