WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Joe Manchin says he’s been told the Veterans Administration’s Office of Inspector General will have a report ready in the coming months on what happened at the VA Medical Center in Clarksburg in connection with the deaths of some veterans.
Manchin said Thursday on MetroNews “Talkline” VA Inspector General Michael Missal has promised a report by the end of the year.
“A timeline has been given and he’ll be held to it,” Manchin said. “I’m on the VA Committee and we’re holding them accountable. Everyone of my colleagues, Democrats and Republicans, all agree that we should home them accountable.”
.@Sen_JoeManchin speaks with @HoppyKercheval about the OIG report on the Clarksburg VA, and the Supreme Court nominee hearing. WATCH: https://t.co/wkudfIRZCB pic.twitter.com/csBZMScm1k
— MetroNews (@WVMetroNews) October 15, 2020
Former Clarksburg VA Hospital nursing assistant Reta Mays has pleaded guilty to killing seven veterans. She gave them insulin that they didn’t needed. Manchin and others have been pointing at system failures that would allow Mays to continue doing what she was doing without detection.
Manchin said Thursday Missal has told him that Mays is helping fill in some of the blanks.
“She’s working with them, I’m understanding, and he (Missal) said by the end of the year they would be using Reta Mays sentencing as a lever to get more information on other victims,” Manchin said.
Sentencing hasn’t yet been set for Mays. A status hearing is scheduled for Oct. 30.
Charleston attorney Tony O’Dell, who represents many of the families of the victims, said earlier this week there are 12 other suspicious deaths of veterans, dating back to 2015, that are under review.
Manchin, who called the deaths an “atrocity” Thursday, said he’s anticipating the OIG report.
“I’m waiting, very impatiently, until the end of the year to see what he (Missal) is able to extract from her (Mays) during these proceedings to find out how much further we can go,” Manchin said.
Manchin said he wants basic questions answered.
“Who’s responsible for all the nurses? Who’s responsible for the hiring process? Who’s responsible to make sure this is never going to happen again?”
Manchin and fellow U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito introduced the VA Accountability bill earlier this month. The bill calls for, among other things, security cameras in Veterans Affairs medical centers.across the country and reports to be filed with Congress.