Sen. John McCain says it matters whether Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki resigns over the waiting list scandal, but, he adds, there is a bigger issue.
"If these allegations are true people should be going to jail, not just resigning their positions," the Arizona Republican said Thursday on Fox News Channel's
"On the Record with Greta Van Susteren."
Shinseki is under fire because of multiple allegations across the country of VA hospitals creating off-the-books waiting lists for veterans to hide the fact that doctors weren't seeing patients for weeks or months past the 14-day guideline.
Shinseki
testified before the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee earlier Thursday, saying he is "mad as hell" over 40 critically ill veterans who died awaiting treatment.
McCain was unimpressed.
"If he doesn't give a better answer, then I'm not sure how he wouldn't have to do anything but resign," he told Van Susteren. He added that he believes the matter eventually will be taken up by Attorney General Eric Holder.
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Holder said on Wednesday his office has no plans to probe the VA, and is awaiting an inspector general's report.
"This is shameful under any circumstances," McCain said. "It is 10 times more shameful because it's being done to the men and women who have put their lives on the line for us."
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