February 28, 2018

Ranking Member Walz Statement Following Update On Inspector General Review Of Hacking Allegations

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs Ranking Member Tim Walz (D-MN) released the following statement after receiving an update from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Inspector General Michael Missal on the Office of Inspector General (OIG) review of recent allegations of “hacking” or other deceptive practices relating to former VA Chief of Staff Vivieca Wright Simpson’s VA email account:

“Earlier this month, I referred to OIG and DOJ allegations made by VA Secretary Shulkin claiming that his Chief of Staff, the third senior-most official at VA, may have been the target of criminals committing fraud and computer intrusion with the intention of harming her reputation,” said Rep. Tim Walz, the highest ranking enlisted servicemember ever to serve in Congress. “I firmly believe allegations of potential criminal activity carried out on VA computers and networks ought to be taken seriously and I offer my sincere gratitude and appreciation to Inspector General Missal, the FBI, and DOJ for looking into the matter, quickly responding to my request, and determining that VA’s email system had not been compromised. Accountability at VA will always be paramount and I expect VA will take additional actions if appropriate after VA completes its review of the OIG’s report.”

You can read the letter from VA Inspector General Missal to Ranking Member Walz online here.

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