VA pick Jackson said to have crashed car while drunk

WASHINGTON -- Dr. Ronny Jackson had a pattern of recklessly prescribing drugs and drunken behavior, including crashing a government vehicle while intoxicated and doling out a large supply of a prescription opioid to a White House military staff member, according to a summary of accusations compiled by Democratic staff on the committee considering his nomination as Veterans Affairs secretary.

The summary was based on conversations with 23 of Jackson's current at former colleagues at the White House Medical Unit. The accusations included multiple incidents of Jackson's intoxication while on duty, often on overseas trips. On at least one occasion he was nowhere to be found when his medical help was needed because "he was passed out drunk in his hotel room," according to the summary.

At a Secret Service going-away party, the summary says, Jackson got drunk and wrecked a government vehicle.

In just a matter of days, the allegations have transformed Jackson's reputation as a celebrated doctor attending the president to an embattled nominee accused of drinking on the job and over-prescribing drugs.

A doomed VA nomination would be a political blow to the White House, which has faced criticism for sloppy screening of Cabinet nominees. President Donald Trump continues to stand by Jackson and the White House is aggressively defending him.

Jackson on Wednesday denied allegations of bad behavior and told reporters at the White House he was "still moving ahead as planned."

"I never wrecked a car," he said. "I have no idea where that is coming from."

He told reporters he was "still moving ahead as planned."

The allegations were publicly released on the day Jackson's confirmation hearing was to have been held. The hearing was postponed indefinitely while the allegations against him are reviewed.

White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said Jackson had passed "at least four independent background checks" with "no areas of concern."

"He has received more vetting than most nominees," she said.

According to the summary released by Democrats, Jackson was nicknamed "Candyman" by White House staff because he would provide prescriptions without paperwork and had his own private stock of controlled substances.

Drugs he prescribed included Ambien, used for sleep, and Provigil, used to help wake up. In one case, the summary said, quantities of Percocet, a prescription opioid, went missing and "threw WHMU into a panic. It turned out Jackson had provided a large supply to a White House Military Officer."

Reports of overprescribing and alcohol-related behavior problems can jeopardize a doctor's license. Many state medical boards allow doctors to keep their licenses and return to practice if they complete special treatment programs and submit to random urine screens for some specified length of time. Addiction to drugs and alcohol is at least as common among physicians as in the general population.

Marc Short, the White House legislative director, could not say he was confident the allegations were false. He was "not familiar" with car wreck episode.

But Short also suggested Democratic Sen. Jon Tester of Montana was airing the allegations for political gain.

"It's quite unusual for a United States senator to take allegations that have not been fully investigated, but to flaunt them to the national public to suggest he's the 'candyman' I think is outrageous."

"We're standing by Jackson," Short said. "Dr. Jackson will look forward to telling his story."