VA Breach Discovered Through Office Gossip

VA Breach Discovered Through Office Gossip


By HOPE YEN
Associated Press Writer

May 25, 2006, 7:25 PM EDT


WASHINGTON -- The theft of personal data for 26.5 million veterans came to the attention of the Veterans Affairs inspector general only through office gossip, he told Congress Thursday.

In four hours of testimony, IG George Opfer said the department failed to heed years of warnings about lax security and noted that the employee who lost the data when his house was burglarized had been improperly taking the material home for three years.

"We were on borrowed time," Opfer told Senate and House panels investigating the breach.

Earlier, VA Secretary Jim Nicholson said he was "mad as hell" that he wasn't told about the burglary until May 16 -- nearly two weeks after it happened. He then told the FBI on May 17, leading to a public announcement May 22.

Nicholson acknowledged that officials including Deputy Secretary of Veterans Affairs Gordon Mansfield knew about the incident earlier, but would not say whether Mansfield should be punished, citing a need for a full investigation.

"As a veteran, I am outraged. Frankly I'm mad as hell," Nicholson said, pledging strong action against those responsible. "I can't explain the lapses of judgment on the behalf of my people. We will stay focused on these problems until we get them fixed."

Lawmakers were unforgiving.

"I don't feel any of the personal pain or outrage of your action," said Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, who chairs the Homeland Security Committee. "This was a monumental breach. It was inconceivable that it involved such long delays."

At the House hearing, Rep. Bob Filner, D-Calif., called Nicholson's response unacceptable.

"In the last five years, a host of agencies have reported that the VA has had many problems with information security," he said. "How did the VA react? With indifference."

"You're not taking responsibility for this mismanagement debacle," he said. "The most dramatic thing to take responsibility is to resign."

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Wonderful, simply bloody wonderful! This major breach of security was discovered by the 'high tech tool of office gossip'! We manage this nation like a 'mom and pop jot'm down store' or a 'Banana Boat Republic'. And the best part is the man who is responsible for this debacle is on 'paid administrative leave.' Nothing like really coming down with both boots on this miscreant.