“Protect the Secretary”: VA Chief Robert Wilkie Installs Political Aide at Watchdog Investigating His Inner Circle December 16, 2020 (Illustration: Renzo Velez / POGO) A number of top political appointees in the inner circle of Secretary Robert Wilkie at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) are under investigation for misconduct by the agency’s Office of Accountability and Whistleblower Protection (OAWP) or have allegations pending against them, according to a complaint filed in early December by a career VA employee whose name is being withheld for fear of retaliation. The whistleblower complaint offers no detail on the allegations against the top officials, although the Office of Accountability and Whistleblower Protection’s mandate is to examine charges of misconduct, retaliation, and poor performance by senior staff throughout the sprawling VA system, including at headquarters.