Trump Considers FL GOP Rep. Brian Mast For Veterans Affairs Secretary

[DonViejo]

Source: Talking Points Memo/AP




By Zeke Miller and HOPE YEN | May 10, 2018 1:36 pm

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump is considering an Army veteran who is a Republican member of Congress for the position of Veterans Affairs secretary, part of a lengthening search for a nominee following the abrupt firing of David Shulkin in March.

A White House official on Thursday said Rep. Brian Mast of Florida, who was elected to the House in 2016, was among the list of candidates for the job heading an agency of 360,000 employees serving 9 million veterans.

The White House official would not say if Mast is the leading candidate for the VA position. The official spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss internal deliberations.

Mast is the first member of Congress to open a lawmaker satellite office in a VA facility, setting up shop in the West Palm Beach VA to meet with veterans. He was wounded when serving in Afghanistan in 2010, which resulted in the amputation of both of his legs.

Read more: https://talkingpointsmemo.com/news/trump-considers-brian-mast-veterans-affairs-secretary

[bearsfootball516]

1. Would create another pickup opportunity for Dems.

Link to tweet

He won his district by about 10 points. That's absolutely flippable, especially without an incumbent.

[atreides1]

2. To the detriment of Veterans!!!

This man has even less experience then Admiral Jackson...being a wounded vet still doesn't give him the ability to manage 300,000+ personnel and the billions of dollars it takes to run the Veteran's Administration!!!

[procon]

3. Why? He has even less management experience Trump's last pick, as in zero.

He has a Bachelor of Liberal Arts and he was a Staff Sergeant in the Army, but I'm not seeing his qualifications to manage a huge, complex agency like the VA. Trump's criteria is probably different and maybe this guy is exceptionally good at clapping and praising.

[olegramps]

4. What the hell is the diff. Trump doesn't have the qualifiations to run a whore house.

[rurallib]

5. Can he take a bribe and privatize the VA?

Those seem to be the requirements.