It must be tough for ambitious press spokespersons to make an impression in DC these days. After all, who can top Scott McClellan at the White House, or his predecessor Ari Fleischer, or DoD's Larry DiRita at the pinnacle of pettifoggery.
But a new star appears to be rising in BuchCo's firmament of flaks": Veterans' Administration spokesperson Terry Jemison.
Yesterday, VA officials presented the agency's mid-year budget review to the House Veterans Affairs committee and, after lengthy questioning, acknowledged that the agency faced a $1 billion shortfall this year in funding for veterans' healthcare.
Jemison handled the embarrassing bombshell with aplomb. Asked for a copy of the mid-year review,
VA spokesman Terry Jemison refused to release a copy of the document, saying, "We don't provide information about pre-decisional budget passback and midyear reviews."
Boy, any answer containing the phrase "pre-decisional budget passback" is sure to stop reporters dead in their tracks. Never mind that vets might drop dead due to lack of promised VA healthcare funding.
More.
The revelation of the shortfall drew bi-partisan denunciations, a rare feat in Washington these days. Republicans were especially displeased.
The disclosure of the shortfall angered Senate Republicans who have been voting down Democratic proposals to boost VA programs at significant political cost. Their votes have brought the wrath of the American Legion, the Paralyzed Veterans of America and other organizations down on the GOP.
At a news conference yesterday, Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA), who sponsored an amendment to add healthcare funding the VA's budget, offered evidence that the VA has been aware of the shortfall for some time.
Murray cited an April 5 letter written by [VA Administrator and former RNC chair Jim] Nicholson to the Senate in a bid to defeat her amendment: "I can assure you that VA does not need emergency supplemental funds in FY2005 to continue to provide timely, quality service that is always our goal," he had said.
Murray aides said they obtained a draft copy of the midyear review in early April, suggesting that the department knew of the budget problems at the time Nicholson wrote the letter.
Does Murray's evidence amount to a "smoking gun" proving that Nicholson argued against increased VA funding, all the while knowing that his agency was $1 billion short in funds for Vets' healthcare? Thanks to the likes of Terry Jemison and phrases like "pre-decisional budget passback," we may never know. And, after all, isn't that the point.