WASHINGTON, D.C. (WSAU) — A new report says problems with over-prescription of opiates to veterans at the Tomah VA Medical Center and retributions against whistleblowers were known by elected officials long before the story made headlines earlier this year. A Gannett Media report says the union president at the Tomah VA tried to alert congressional Democrats about the problems as early as 2009.
The report claims American Federation of Government Employees President Lin Ellinghuysen outlined the issues in hand-delivered memos to Representative Ron Kind, former Representative David Obey, and former U.S. Senator Russ Feingold, who is seeking re-election next year. Obey, Kind, and Feingold told the newspaper they have no recollection of those memos. Now six years later, Ellinghuysen says she has no physical proof the hand-delivered memos were actually delivered.
Several changes have happened at Tomah this year, and the investigation into opiate drug prescription problems and how former administrators threatened or intimidated whistleblowers is still ongoing.
Veterans have died from the drug mixtures, and a Tomah psychologist fired for reporting problems committed suicide.
