Veterans Affairs Secretary David Shulkin must resign after a VA inspector general's report found he misused government resources for a trip he took last summer to Europe, Rep. Mike Coffman, R-Colo., tweeted Wednesday.
The demand for Shulkin's resignation follows the release of a watchdog report that said the VA secretary's chief of staff doctored an e-mail in an effort to cover up travel expenses for Shulkin's wife and get approval for taxpayer funding for her flight.
The report also said Shulkin misused government resources by accepting Wimbledon tickets and directing an aide, on official time, to make extensive planning for his leisure activities on the 10-day trip with his wife.
Shulkin defended himself to Inspector General Michael Missal, writing the report "draws conclusions based on subjective and arbitrary criteria," according to The Hill.
Republican and Democratic leaders of the Senate and House VA committees urged Shulkin to address all of the allegations and said "public officials must be held to a higher standard, and, whether intentional or not, misusing taxpayers' dollars is unacceptable," according to USA Today.
Shulkin is the latest President Donald Trump Cabinet official to face criticism over his travel expenses. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt, and Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke have all been scrutinized for expensive taxpayer-funded travel, The Hill reported.
In addition, former Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price resigned after it was discovered he repeatedly used private jets for official business.
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