FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 5/28/2014
ANCHORAGE: Within 24 hours of the veterans scandal in Arizona Mark Begich wrote the Veterans Administration calling the incident “disgraceful” and urging the VA to adopt solutions to capacity issues. Begich then put tough questions to VA Secretary Eric Shinseki calling for those responsible to be held accountable.
Now Karl Rove’s network of Outside “Crossroads” attack groups are rushing to defend U.S. Senate candidate Dan Sullivan’s month-long silence on the VA scandal by attacking Mark Begich. Rove’s organizations has pledged to spend over $7 million on attack ads against Begich between now and Election Day.
“Turning the death of veterans in Arizona into a political attack ad in Alaska proves the appalling and disgraceful lengths Dan Sullivan and his Outside allies will go to wage political attacks that disgust Alaskans. Caring for our nation’s veterans and fighting to make sure our veterans receive the care they deserve isn’t about politics, Mark Begich knows that and it’s why he called for answers from the VA within 24 hours of the Arizona scandal and why he’s pushed the VA to improve care in Alaska by delivering local care to rural veterans and significantly reducing wait times at the Anchorage VA,” Susanne Fleek-Green, Alaskans for Begich Campaign Manager.
U.S. Senate candidate Dan Sullivan spent weeks without mentioning the unacceptable conditions at the Arizona VA until breaking a nearly month-long silence by politicizing the VA scandal and calling to “Put Republicans in the Senate.”
In Alaska, veteran wait times are dramatically down thanks to improved access to primary care and partner agreements supported by Mark Begich between local non-VA medical providers and the Alaska VA.
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