Peter O’Rourke was the GOP Executive Director in Florida when he was accused of covering up sexual harassment complaints, retaliation, and political meddling at the Department of Veteran Affairs. In one example, he pulled an experienced investigator off the investigation of a Trump appointee named Peter Shelby, replacing him with a new investigator. He also socialized with Shelby and listened to Shelby’s venting. At Shelby’s request, the whistleblower was investigated.
During his tenure, people were reluctant to make complaints as they risked retaliation without any hope of relief.
- Office of the Inspector General, Dept. of Veterans Affairs: Failures Implementing Aspects of the VA Accountability and Whistleblower Protection Act of 2017
- Politico: Florida GOP official accused of misdeeds and retaliation while at VA
