President Obama announced Friday that he has accepted the resignation of Eric Shinseki, the now former secretary of the Veterans Adminsitration.
President Obama met with Shinseki Friday and made the announcement shortly after the meeting.
“Our veterans deserve the best; they have earned it. Last week I said that if we found misconduct it would be punished, and I meant it,” Obama said in a press conference.
He went on to say that Shinseki has begun the process of firing many of those responsible including leaders at the Phoenix VA. Shinseki has also cancelled performance bonuses for VA executives and has ordered the VA to personally contact any veterans waiting in Phoenix for appointments so they can be seen for care.
Deputy Secretary Sloan Gibson will be put temporarily in charge of the VA until a new permanent secretary can be appointed.