V.A. swindle: data breached.

• Author: Tuccille, J.d.
• Position: U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs - Citings - Brief article

FOR MORE evidence of the dangers of letting government officials demand sensitive information from citizens, look no further than the ongoing scandal at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (V.A.). Once focused on the apparently lethal mistreatment of military veterans by a system created to provide them with medical care, the story now also encompasses retaliation by officials against V.A. employees who raised concerns about such mistreatment.

"In several cases, the medical records of whistleblowers have been accessed and information in those records has apparently been used to attempt to discredit the whistleblowers," Carolyn Lerner from the Office of Special Counsel said during a congressional hearing in April. Lerner's office is tasked with shielding government whistleblowers from retaliation; she also told lawmakers that V.A. staffers now make up 40 percent of her office's caseload.

Among the whistleblowers whose medical records may have been inappropriately browsed by government officials is Brandon Coleman, who was placed on...