White House holds first VA listening session ... without veterans groups

Rss@dailykos.com (kerry Eleveld) · Wednesday, February 08, 2017, 6:04 pm

White House officials initiated their first listening session Tuesday en route to fixing problems with the Department of Veterans Affairs. It’s still a little unclear whom they invited, but they managed to exclude nearly every major veterans group, writes Leo Shane:

Officials from the American Legion, Disabled American Veterans and the Veterans of Foreign Wars said they were not invited to the morning event and did not know about it until it was announced late Monday night, as part of the White House’s routine schedule outline.

Other prominent veterans groups were surprised Tuesday morning by news of the event, and unsure who was invited to take part in the discussion.

White House officials did not release any other details of the event, other than the meeting followed a similar listening session with President Trump and county sheriffs discussing local law enforcement issues. A press pool event to take pictures of the meeting was cancelled shortly before the veterans meeting began.

Naturally, even after follow up, the White House declined to provide additional information about the meeting. Because what happens at the White House stays at the White House—unless it's leaked.

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