scandal and after cnn reported about secret wait lists in phoenix. he acknowledged there were problems and also praised the v.a.'s handling of 200,000 appointments during the day and delivering quality health care to the vets. >> one concern i have to be honest is there has been a little bit of a rush to judgment. what happen in phoenix, well, the truth is we don't know. but we are going to find out. >> reporter: he later appeared on cnn that same morning cautioning against a rush to judgment. >> did the delay in care of these people on the secret waiting list actually cause these deaths? we don't know. >> reporter: two weeks after bernie sanders raised that question, the scandal reached the climax and the v.a. secretary resigned. in his regulspeech he acknowled when the committee and cnn had been reporting for nearly two