Yes, it's yet another outrage...

as a vietnam vet who very belatedly submitted my claim of ptsd almost 2 1/2 years ago and received my denial letter approximately 3 weeks ago, i share the outrage on a very personal level...

CREW and VoteVets release email telling VA staff to “refrain from giving a diagnosis of PTSD straight out”

CREW and VoteVets.org released an e-mail obtained from a Veterans Affairs (VA) employee directing VA staff to refrain from diagnosing soldiers and veterans with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

On March 20, 2008 a VA hospital’s PTSD program coordinator sent the e-mail below to a number of VA employees, including psychologists, social workers, and a psychiatrist stating that due to an increased number of “compensation seeking veterans,” the staff should “refrain from giving a diagnosis of PTSD straight out” and they should “R/O [rule out] PTSD” and consider a diagnosis of “Adjustment Disorder” instead:

This week, CREW sent a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request to the VA asking for all records pertaining to any guidance given regarding the diagnosis of PTSD. The FOIA request can be found here.

Melanie Sloan, executive director of CREW, said today:

It is outrageous that the VA is calling on its employees to deliberately misdiagnose returning veterans in an effort to cut costs. Those who have risked their lives serving our country deserve far better. First and foremost, they have a right to expect that they receive diagnoses and treatment based on their symptoms and not on the VA’s budget. The VA should immediately reverse this and any other similar directives.

Jon Soltz, an Iraq War Veteran and Chairman of VoteVets.org, added:

This is an issue I take personally. I know of many people who received a diagnosis of ‘Adjustment Disorder,’ who strongly felt they had PTSD, many of whom confirmed that suspicion with an independent diagnosis. Many veterans believe that the government just doesn’t want to pay out the disability that comes along with a PTSD diagnosis, and this revelation will not allay their concerns. It is crucial that we quickly get to the bottom of this, and ensure that misdiagnosing veterans is not part of some cost-cutting policy.

Last month, the RAND Corporation released a report that found that approximately 300,000 U.S. troops are suffering from major depression or post traumatic stress from serving in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and only about half have sought treatment.

just more evidence that our esteemed president and his criminal cronies don't give a flying shit about those who have served their country...

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Suing the White House over the missing emails

this is good... this is very good...

CREW’s suit is based on a FOIA request filed with the OA on March 29, 2007 for records regarding the over five million missing emails. Although on April 27, 2007, the OA agreed to expedite CREW’s FOIA request, the OA has yet to provide CREW with so much as a single document.

According to confidential sources, the OA created documents that detail the exact dates for which the over five million emails are missing and that analyzed the scope of the problem. CREW has learned that there is also a political assessment of the harm to public perception of the White House if it became known so many emails had disappeared. In addition, the requested documents include plans CREW was told were presented almost two years ago to restore the missing emails, but were never acted on.

Melanie Sloan, executive director of CREW said today, “This White House has decided to play an unlawful game of high-tech hide and seek with the American public. Thus far, CREW has learned that the Administration has both lost five million White House emails and pro-actively tried to cover up the loss. CREW has sued the Office of Administration to shine a spotlight on these reckless and possibly illegal activities and to restore these records for the benefit of future generations.”

keep pushing for accountability... keep pushing, pushing, pushing...

(thanks to raw story...)

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Is the OSC investigation a red herring for orchestrating a cover-up?

at this stage of the game, i wouldn't doubt it... when it came out earlier, i had this brief flash of optimism, but as more info has surfaced throughout the day, particularly about the osc head, scott bloch, my spirits are - yet again - being dampened...

from think progress...

Scott J. Bloch, the head of the Office of Special Counsel, “who says he is investigating Karl Rove for allegations he influenced government activity for partisan purposes is himself facing allegations of similar behavior.” In April 2005, government watchdogs and others complained that “the White House appointee had allowed his office to ’sit on’ a complaint that then-White House National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice used government funds to travel in support of President Bush’s re-election bid.”

UPDATE: CREW adds: “The fact that OSC has been charged with handling these matters suggests the possibility that the White House is orchestrating a cover-up of its illegal and improper activities.”

as i should have learned by now, after so many times of getting my hopes up, with this gang of criminals, anticipating nothing but the worst-case scenario is the only reasonable and prudent mindset to adopt...

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In an interesting twist to events, the DNC is suing the DOJ

i am at a loss to explain why the democratic national committee is the one filing suit... are they claiming to be the aggrieved party or is it simply a suit filed as an expression of the common interest, much like c.r.e.w. would do...? can anyone enlighten me here...?

The Democratic National Committee sued the Justice Department on Thursday, demanding it turn over any e-mail traffic with the Republican Party on the U.S. attorneys controversy and criminal investigations.

[...]

Democrats suspect that White House officials used e-mail accounts provided by the Republican Party headquarters to avoid a permanent record of communications with the Justice Department involving political considerations in the appointment of prosecutors.

The Democratic Party's suit in federal court followed the Republicans' refusal for now to turn over e-mails to Congress. White House lawyers first will have an opportunity to review them to determine whether some should be kept secret.

Such a review is "commonplace," said a letter dated Wednesday and released by the Republican committee. Attorney Robert Kelner, representing the RNC, sent the letter to the chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, Rep. Henry Waxman, a Democrat. Kelner gave no end date for the White House review.

another question is, does this help or hinder the work of the congressional investigation...?

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