The Department of Veterans Affairs is staying silent following a media report that its former top watchdog resigned was fired for after he was caught masturbating in front of others, including teachers.
Jon Wooditch, who served as an acting and deputy inspector general and a deputy, left the department in 2008 after he was caught masturbating at the agency’s all-glass conference room that is visible to the public, according to The Daily Caller. An undisclosed investigation by the Interior Department obtained by the media website said that Wooditch repeatedly denied his lewd conduct.
Wooditch was first caught with pornographic images on his computer in 2003 before the VA "counseled him" on his behavior, according to The Daily Caller. He was promoted to acting IG soon after, until it was announced that George Opfer would become the permanent IG in November 2005.
Under Wooditch’s tenure, the VA disclosed a national audit of outpatient scheduling, which admitted that outpatient wait times were on the rise. It didn't happen wasn’t until news broke last April that veterans were dying while waiting for care, specifically at the Phoenix VA hospital. Outcry from veterans and public officials sparked VA Secretary Eric Shinseki’s resignation in 2014.
Wooditch had testified multiple times to Congress about the integrity needed to sustain veteran care.
In July 2008, a few teachers staying at the Renaissance Hotel nearby the Washington, D.C., IG headquarters saw a man pleasuring himself over the course of a week — many times.
One teacher, cited in the investigation, said: "He went from rubbing himself over the top of his clothes to disrobing and fondling his penis," The Daily Caller said. On another day, another teacher saw "Wooditch alone in the VA-OIG conference room naked from the waist up."
Wooditch later denied he was even in the building, although security cameras caught him on tape and a number of teachers picked him out during a photograph lineup.
"The VA Office of Inspector General leadership who would have had knowledge of the allegations and investigation are no longer with the VA OIG," said VA spokeswoman Catherine Gromek. "Because current OIG leadership only recently became aware of the matter, we cannot comment further on the allegations or the investigation," Gromek said on Monday in an email to Military Times.
Wooditch retired with his pension before administrative or criminal charges could be brought against him, The Daily Caller said.
