Vets committee reneges on VA hearings

The chairman of the House Committee on Veterans Affairs won't hold hearings as promised on a shredding controversy at the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Instead of a formal hearing, the committee chairman will hold a two-hour "round table" discussion on Wednesday in Washington without sworn witnesses and no assurance the VA will even participate.

Rep. Bob Filner, D-Calif., who chairs the committee, could not immediately be reached for comment on Friday and no explanation about the change was provided by committee staff.

Last month, Filner told the St. Petersburg Times he was angered by reports that VA employees had improperly set aside for shredding crucial claims documents from veterans. A VA investigation found nearly 500 documents improperly set aside for shredding in most of the VA's 57 regional benefits offices.

About 13 documents were found at the VA's busiest benefits office -- Bay Pines in St. Petersburg.

Filner said he thought the VA needed new leadership. "These guys remind me of the Keystone Kops," Filner said last month. "This completely shatters confidence in the whole VA system. These documents are matters of life and death for some of these veterans."

Several major veterans service organizations have been invited to the round table discussion along with unnamed officials at the VA. On Friday, nobody had yet confirmed they would attend.

William R. Levesque, Times staff writer