Senator Hassan Responds to Report of Mar-a-Lago “Shadow Rulers” at the Department of Veterans Affairs

WASHINGTON – Senator Maggie Hassan issued the following statement today in response to a report from ProPublica that a group of President Trump’s personal friends from Mar-a-Lago have been significantly influencing decisions about the health care of veterans at the Department of Veterans Affairs:

“Leaving decisions about the health care of millions of veterans up to President Trump’s friends at Mar-a-Lago, who have no experience in the U.S. military or government, insults the sacrifices our veterans have made and threatens their care. This troubling report suggests a lack of serious commitment from President Trump to ensuring that veterans in New Hampshire and across the country get the care that they have earned. As he takes on his new role at the helm of the Department of Veterans Affairs, I urge Secretary Wilkie to disregard the input of the ‘Mar-a-Lago Crowd,’ stop the practice of spending taxpayer dollars to ‘kiss the ring’ of dues-paying members of the President’s golf club, and work with those who have an actual understanding of what our veterans need to thrive in civilian life.”

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