Rep. Dan Crenshaw in Hot Water After Alleged Role in a Smear Campaign Against Sexual Assault Victim

Texas Representative Dan Crenshaw may be the subject of a congressional ethics probe after his alleged role in a smear campaign against a fellow female veteran, Andrea Goldstein, who filed a sexual assault complaint that happened at a VA facility.

Some worrying information about Crenshaw’s involvement in the case has come to light recently, with claims suggesting that Rep. Crenshaw approached Secretary Wilkie to undermine the victim’s character, stating that while he and the victim served in the same unit, she had filed some frivolous allegations. 

An internal investigation report, issued by the office of VA Inspector General (OIG) Michael Missal, could not corroborate claims, mainly because the secretary and top staff did not want to cooperate with the investigation, and neither would Crenshaw. Wilkie’s office has been known to withhold important information in the past.

Regardless, Missal stated that “The tone set by Secretary Wilkie was at minimum unprofessional and at worst provided the basis for senior officials to put out information to national reporters to question the credibility and background of the veteran who filed the sexual assault complaint,”.

Adding to the controversy, Former Deputy Secretary James Byrne claimed in an exclusive interview with Newsweek that he was fired after he refused to collaborate with the rest of Wilkie’s team in the endeavor to slander the victim’s reputation and credibility.