VA nominee Dr. Ronny Jackson withdraws

The White House withdrew the nomination of Dr. Ronny L. Jackson, the White House physician, to lead the Veterans Affairs Department on Thursday after lawmakers went public with a torrent of accusations leveled against him by almost two dozen current and former colleagues from the White House medical staff.

According to a two-page summary of the interviews released by the panel’s staff, the White House medical unit had “questionable record keeping” for the medications it was distributing under Jackson’s leadership.

Dr Jackson was accused of questionable drug prescriptions, drunkenness and wrecking a government vehicle. They said it turned out he’d given a large supply of the opioid to a White House Military Office staffer.

A doomed VA nomination would be a political blow to the White House, which has faced criticism for sloppy screening of Cabinet nominees.

Trump, appearing on Fox & Friends Thursday morning, praised Jackson and blasted the allegations against him. “In doing so, I have always adhered to the highest ethical standards”, he said. Trump said, suggesting that Jackson drop out not because of the allegations, but because of partisan politics. He added that he’s “still moving ahead as planned” with the nomination.

Dr Jackson was set to have his Senate confirmation hearing on Wednesday, but it was postponed.

White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said Jackson was on the job at the White House on Thursday but it was not immediately clear whether he would resume his post as the top White House physician.

“We were told stories where he was repeatedly drunk while on duty, where his main job was to take care of the most powerful man in the world”, Tester said. Jackson has yet to publicly address or denounce the majority of allegations, yet the White House has thrown its entire support behind their nominee. Short told reporters. “And every year, they’ve said that he’s totally in compliance with what he’s been prescribing”. As the White House physician, Jackson led a medical staff of about two dozen people.

Reports of overprescribing and alcohol-related behavior problems can jeopardise a doctor’s license.

Trump stated that the final decision would be left up to the doctor but wondered why Jackson would submit himself to “abuse”. Jackson’s nomination has inadvertently exposed the widespread use of sleep and alertness drugs among government officials from the White House and State Department to the Pentagon and Congress itself.

He was “not familiar” with the auto crash episode.

Trump directed most of his vitriol at Wyoming Sen.

Senator Patty Murray, the second-most senior Democrat on the veterans’ affairs committee, said this week: “It is really frustrating to me that this administration continues to not vet or sloppily send over a nominee that leaves us having to really vet them and look at serious questions”.

Gidley said the FBI background investigation into Jackson “was clean and there are no issues in the background check whatsoever”.

Trump echoed that sentiment previous year, writing, “Dr. Jackson is a great doctor + leader – ‘2 star material, ‘ ” in bold marker.

“The American Legion is very concerned about the current lack of permanent leadership”, said Denise Rohan, national commander of The American Legion, the nation’s largest veterans organisation.

The first was Jackson’s alleged pattern of handing out prescription drugs without knowing a patient’s history, which earned him the nickname “Candyman“.

Jackson has worked as a presidential physician since the George W. Bush administration and has been the lead doctor for Trump as well as former President Barack Obama.

Trump said he had seen the writing on the wall about the nomination, but defended Jackson, saying he “would’ve done a great job”.