Story highlights
NEW: Investigation expands to 26 VA facilities
The White House defends President Obama's record on veterans affairs
Internal VA memo from 2010 complains of "unacceptable" practices
Legislators criticize VA response to subpoena
A top White House aide assigned to review problems at the Department of Veterans Affairs is going to Phoenix, where CNN reported that fraudulent records – including secret lists – covered up allegedly deadly waiting periods for veterans to get care.
White House spokesman Jay Carney told reporters on Tuesday that Rob Nabors, the deputy chief of staff helping the review by Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki, will head to Phoenix on Wednesday night to interview the interim director of the VA office and visit the facility.
However, Carney stepped around questions about when President Barack Obama learned of the depth of the VA problems as the controversy continued to dog the administration.
Meanwhile, the number of Veterans Affairs facilities under investigation has expanded to 26, the agency’s Office of Inspector General confirmed Tuesday. Last week, the inspector general told a Senate committee that 10 facilities were being investigated.
For six months, CNN has been reporting on delays in medical appointments for veterans across the country, with some dying or suffering harm while waiting for appoint