Lawmakers begin to wake up, speak up on Veterans Affairs power grab

The attempt to change the rules at the Dept. of Veterans Affairs, in effect making John Scocos DVA Secretary for Life, is beginning to attract the attention of state legislators.

Like the rest of us, they have trouble understanding why Scocos should get special treatment. The DVA board is considering a rule change that, if passed, would require a unanimous 7-0 vote to remove him from the job. No other cabinet secretary has ever had that kind of job security.

What's behind it is a partisan effort by Republican appointees, who still control the board, to insulate Scocos before Democratic appointees have the majority. But there is no indication that the governor or his appointees have any desire to get rid of Scocos. It looks a lot like rampant paranoia.

State Rep. Dave Travis, D-Madison, who publicly endorsed Scocos' appointment, says he would do so again. But he called for the board to "back off" its attempts to give Scocos lifetime tenure.

"I believe he has done many good things on behalf of Wisconsin veterans, and respect his service to our country. Despite my support for Secretary Scocos, I am deeply deeply offended by the actions of the Board of Veterans Affairs which I believe is legally questionable on several levels-and certainly ethically questionable," Travis said.

There are no Republicans or Democrats on the battlefield-only Americans.

It is shameful that certain members of the Veterans' Board and State Senate want to make veterans' issues partisan.

I suggest people back off and return to our usual nonpartisan approach to veterans issues.

If people insist on going forth with activities that are illegal or questionable, I have no other choice than to ask for legal investigations, but I hope folks take a few deep breaths and decide to keep politics away from our service people.

State Rep. Bob Turner, D-Racine, a Vietnam vet:

I do not believe that the Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs is meant to be a lifetime political appointee. There are protections built into the system, and these protections are consistent with our representative form of government. Allowing a life term for any appointee is tantamount to totalitarianism. I would hope that the members of the Board will understand this and vote accordingly.

State Sen. Robert Wirch, D-Pleasant Prairie, member of the Senate Committee on Veterans, Homeland Security, and Military Affairs, Small Business and Government Reform, (and the Kitchen Sink) calls the board's latest ploy an unabashed "power grab."

Some county veterans service officers also have spoken up in opposition.

No Republican leggies are willing to talk publicly about it, apparently because Speaker John Gard is pulling the strings on this one and is likely to rip out the tongue of anyone who disagrees.
The board will hold a teleconference on the proposed changes at 10 a.m. on Monday, Nov. 28, on the 8th floor of the WDVA headquarters at 30 W. Mifflin St., Madison. It is a public meeting. The board could act that day or defer action to its December meeting. There has been no public hearing. Earlier post.