Prosecutors at the Department of Justice have decided not to press criminal charges against two executives at the Department of Veterans Affairs who were found by the agency of manipulating the hiring system for financial gain. Diana Rubens and Kimberly Graves were found by the VA's inspector general to have pulled in more than $400,000 in improperly obtained moving expenses, the Washington Examiner reported.
The U.S. Attorney's office said it has "referred the matter to the VA for any administrative action that is deemed appropriate," the Associated Press reported.
However, the VA already signaled how it viewed the matter earlier this month when Deputy Secretary of Veterans Affairs Sloan Gibson testified before the House Veterans Affairs Committee.
“In my opinion, the evidence collected by the IG does not support one violation of law. Not one violation of rule. Not even one violation of regulation related to relocation expenses,” said Sloan, Stars and Stripes reported. “The easy option for me would have been to propose removal. I didn’t come to VA to do the easy thing.”
Angered lawmakers vented their frustrations during the hearing. “Mr. Gibson, I think your statement is pretty damn inconsistent,” said Rep. Jeff Miller, (R-Fla.), Veterans Affairs chairman. “We’re all educated enough to know the definition of accountability but you and the secretary have decided to change that definition.”
Both women earned six-figure salaries, according to the Associated Press. Rubens had been earning $181,497 as director of the Philadelphia regional office for the Veterans Benefits Administration and Graves earned $173,949 as leader of the St. Paul, Minnesota, regional office. Graves is scheduled for a transfer to the Phoenix VA. Both women were demoted in November, but after an administrative error, their demotions were delayed.
“It seems VA’s incompetence knows no bounds,” Miller told the Daily Caller. “After VA Dep. Sec. Sloan Gibson repeatedly expressed concerns that our committee’s legitimate oversight efforts could jeopardize these disciplinary proceedings, VA seems to have sabotaged this case all on its own."
