GOP Rep. Warren Davidson is under fire for saying last week that the Department of Veterans Affairs medical system is suffering from some veterans who act as “moochers.”
“Just like workers comp out here’s got moochers, I wish that there were no vets that were the same sort of problem on our society,” Davidson said Sept. 19, according to Popular Military.
“Part of the problem is there are some vets that are moochers and they’re clogging up the system,” he added. “And we do as taxpayers want to make sure the VA filters out these folks that are pretenders.”
His remarks immediately grabbed the attention of GOP Rep. Jeff Miller, chairman of the House Committee on Veterans Affairs.
“I can only hope that Rep. Davidson misspoke, and I look forward to him clarifying his remarks,” Miller said.
National spokesman for Veterans of Foreign Wars Joe Davis added his take.
“Honorably discharged veterans with service-connected wounds, illnesses and injuries, or who are indigent due to circumstances beyond their control, are not moochers,” Davis said.
Alexei Woltornist, spokesman for Davidson, noted four examples of fraud in 2016 alone discovered by the inspector general, and Davidson also said he has a “soldier’s passion for providing our veterans with the care they deserve.” But he did not back down from his original remarks.
Davidson is an Army veteran.
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