Thread: Veterans fight West Palm Beach VA hospital over refusal to put up Trump’s image

Veterans fight West Palm Beach VA hospital over refusal to put up Trump’s image


The West Palm Beach’s VA hospital shown here has refused to put up a picture of President Donald Trump in its offices.
Florida Congressman Brian Mast (left) — who is also a veteran — had a picture installed on Tuesday,

The Washington Times - Wednesday, March 15, 2017

A Veterans Affairs hospital in West Palm beach has refused to put up pictures of President Donald Trump and Secretary David Schulkin, even though they were delivered by a congressman who lost both legs on a deployment to Afghanistan.

Republican Congressman Brian Mast showed up Tuesday with fellow veterans in tow at West Palm beach’s VA hospital. The group of constituents have been seething at the facility’s decision not to hang a portrait of the 45th commander in chief in its entrance.

Despite Mr. Mast’s personal intervention, the hospital took down the photographs shortly after he left.

“Proud of the fact that the local vet community got it done. We walked in there, we made it happen,” veteran Beau Brumfield told a local CBS affiliate, unaware that Mr. Mast’s actions would be negated moments later. “It was non-confrontational. It was nonpolitical. We just wanted to see it happen.”

“Two blank holes, it’s been 60 something days now,” added veteran John Rourke. “The veterans administration has been asked about it a few times, the local VA hospital has and they haven’t had any real reason other than they didn’t have the picture, which is readily available.”

A VA spokeswoman called the congressman’s actions “inappropriate” and said only images sent from the central office would be displayed.

Mr. Mast, who spent 12 years in the U.S. Army as a bomb disposal expert, told Fox News on Wednesday that prior to his arrival the hospital told him to “leave the portraits at the front desk instead of hanging them.”

“I insisted that I would like to see them hung,” Mr. Mast said. “The information desk called for a maintenance person who was seen helping me hang it. … I left and the leadership had the portraits removed.”

Richard Painter, chief White House ethics counsel to former President George W. Bush, told Fox that recalcitrant employees need to be held accountable for their actions.

“When you have civil servants pushing back by not putting up photos of the President, that is a terrible mistake and it should be repudiated,” Mr. Painter said. “They don’t have to like, or agree, with the president, but they need to do their job, and if people are going to have a problem looking at a portrait of the president of the United States, they’ll have to resign.”

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/...pital-over-re/

As an individual you don't have to respect the man, but as an American you must respect the office!

Goodness grief, this is a VA hospital and President Trump is the Commander-In-Chief, hang the darn pictures!

I had to look at Obama's picture each time I entered one of the buildings at the Tampa VA. It was right in your face. I couldn't wait for them to finally be removed. I've been there several times since Trump's been in office, but I don't recall noticing if his picture was there.

I had an appointment this morning at one of the VA satellite clinics and can confirm that no pictures were hanging on the wall. Just picture hooks. Thinking back, it was probably the same situation at the main hospital last week when I was there. I wonder if they're just slow at getting the official pictures...

Originally Posted by Scott-in-FL

I had an appointment this morning at one of the VA satellite clinics and can confirm that no pictures were hanging on the wall. Just picture hooks. Thinking back, it was probably the same situation at the main hospital last week when I was there. I wonder if they're just slow at getting the official pictures...

I don't know, but I guess it is entirely possible the pictures have not been received yet.

I had an appointment at the Tampa VA this morning and I can confirm that Trumps picture is now hanging prominently on the wall. He sort of has a serious, almost scowling, look.