Veterans group targets vulnerable Senate Dems

Concerned Veterans For America is launching an ad campaign targeting five Senate Democrats in tough reelection races. 

{mosads}The group’s Wednesday announcement came the same day that embattled Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki saw most of his remaining support on Capitol Hill ebb after the release of a damaging interim IG report that found “inappropriate scheduling practices systemic throughout” the agency.

The six-figure “Walk the Walk” campaign — aimed at Sens. Kay Hagan (N.C.), Mary Landrieu (La.), Jeanne Shaheen (N.H.), Mark Pryor (Ark.), Mark Warner (Va.) and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (Nev.) — is meant to pressure the lawmakers into backing the 2014 Department of Veterans Affairs Management Accountability Act, which passed the full House 390-33 last week.

Landrieu, Shaheen, Pryor and Warner have all signed onto a similar measure being proposed by Sen. Mark Rubio (R-Fla.) that would give the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, be it Shinseki or his successor, more leeway to dismiss officials found to be incompetent for offenses such as mismanagement and sexual harassment. 

Hagan and Shaheen have already asked for Shinseki to resign. Other Senate Democrats in competitive reelection contests have also called on the secretary to step down, including Sens. Al Franken (Minn.), Mark Udall (Colo.) and John Walsh (Mont.).