'Failure of leadership': Gov. Ivey forcefully removes commissioner of Veterans Affairs from position

3 months ago 2

TODAY’S SPECIAL CALLED VA BOARD MEETING. JOHN. YEAH. GUY. GOVERNOR KAY IVEY ACTUALLY ASKED THE VETERANS AFFAIRS BOARD TO REMOVE COMMISSIONER KENT DAVIS. BUT THIS AFTERNOON, THE BOARD VOTED 3 TO 2 TO KEEP HIM IN PLACE. WITHIN AN HOUR, THE GOVERNOR USED HER EXECUTIVE POWER TO FIRE DAVIS. NOW, IVEY HAS BEEN CRITICAL OF HOW DAVIS HAD HANDLED ABOUT $7 MILLION IN ARPA FUNDS EARMARKED FOR VETERANS MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES. DAVIS HAD ORIGINALLY AGREED TO RESIGN BY THE END OF THIS YEAR, BUT SEEMED TO BALK AT THAT PROMISE AT RECENT MEETINGS. SO I’VE DECIDED TO OVERTURN TODAY’S NARROW DECISION BY THE VA BOARD, WHICH SHE CHAIRS AS GOVERNOR. IN A STATEMENT THIS EVENING, THE GOVERNOR SAID, AFTER WHAT I WOULD NOW DEEM AS A TOTAL FAILURE OF LEADERSHIP AT THE DEPARTMENT AND LACK OF COOPERATION, I HAD TO USE THE MANTLE OF THE GOVERNOR’S OFFICE TO MAKE THE CHANGE. WHILE FOLLOWING KENT DAVIS’S IMMEDIATE REMOVAL. GOVERNOR IVEY HAS APPOINTED JEFFREY NEWTON AS THE NEW IN

Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey has exercised the “supreme executive power of this state” to remove Kent Davis from his position as commissioner of the Alabama Department of Veterans Affairs.Last week, Ivey called a special meeting of the state Board of Veterans Affairs to consider Davis' removal, citing multiple issues, including:"General lack of cooperation""Mishandling of the ARPA grant program""Filing of a frivolous ethics complaint""Manipulation of the Board""Failure to comply""General loss of trust and confidence"That special meeting was held Tuesday afternoon, with the board opting not to remove Davis despite the "ample legal causes" that Ivey "publicly and repeatedly identified."“For weeks now, I have laid out the case publicly for why new leadership at the Alabama Department of Veterans Affairs is necessary, and it is unfortunate it came to forcefully removing this agency head," said Ivey.>> FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube "After what I would now deem as a total failure of leadership at the department and lack of cooperation, I had to use the mantle of the governor’s office to make the change," she continued. "While there is more work to do, I am confident that together as one team, our state government can make Alabama an even better place for veterans to call home.” Davis' removal from his position is effective immediately. Assistant Commissioner Jeffrey L. Newton has been named interim commissioner of Veterans Affairs.This is a developing story and will be updated as information becomes available. Stay updated on the latest stories with the WVTM 13 app. You can download it here.

MONTGOMERY, Ala. —

Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey has exercised the “supreme executive power of this state” to remove Kent Davis from his position as commissioner of the Alabama Department of Veterans Affairs.

Last week, Ivey called a special meeting of the state Board of Veterans Affairs to consider Davis' removal, citing multiple issues, including:

"General lack of cooperation"
"Mishandling of the ARPA grant program"
"Filing of a frivolous ethics complaint"
"Manipulation of the Board"
"Failure to comply"
"General loss of trust and confidence"

That special meeting was held Tuesday afternoon, with the board opting not to remove Davis despite the "ample legal causes" that Ivey "publicly and repeatedly identified."

“For weeks now, I have laid out the case publicly for why new leadership at the Alabama Department of Veterans Affairs is necessary, and it is unfortunate it came to forcefully removing this agency head," said Ivey.

>> FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube

"After what I would now deem as a total failure of leadership at the department and lack of cooperation, I had to use the mantle of the governor’s office to make the change," she continued. "While there is more work to do, I am confident that together as one team, our state government can make Alabama an even better place for veterans to call home.”

Davis' removal from his position is effective immediately. Assistant Commissioner Jeffrey L. Newton has been named interim commissioner of Veterans Affairs.

This is a developing story and will be updated as information becomes available. Stay updated on the latest stories with the WVTM 13 app. You can download it here.

Read Entire Article