Trump's doctor might not get Cabinet gig for drinking on the job

trumTrump’s pick for secretary of state barely squeaked out of committee. Now his nominee to head the Department of Veterans Affairs, current White House physician Dr. Ronny Jackson, could be on his way to defeat.

Jackson’s confirmation hearing before the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee was scheduled for Wednesday, but it’s been canceled amid questions about Jackson’s conduct and qualifications.

The cancellation was first reported by The Washington Post, which cited Jackson’s lack of management experience and concerns about his “oversight of the White House medical staff.”

But according to CBS News, committee members have postponed the hearing in order to examine allegations of a “hostile work environment,” which include “excessive drinking on the job” and “improperly dispensing meds.”

Dr. Jackson gained national attention when he conducted an obsequious briefing about Trump’s health that included dubious claims about Trump’s weight. That performance seemed to earn Jackson the nod to replace then-Secretary of Veterans Affairs David Shulkin after Trump fired Shulkin via Twitter.

This snag in Jackson’s nomination comes on the heels of the near-failure of Trump’s nominee to replace fired Secretary of State Rex Tillerson. Current CIA Director Mike Pompeo’s nomination only advanced out of committee after Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) dropped his opposition at the last minute, and Sen. Chris Coons (D-DE) graciously helped the GOP avoid a tie by voting “present.”

Jackson’s troubles also come as Trump EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt’s multiple scandals are coming to a head, reportedly becoming difficult for even Trump’s administration to tolerate.

Jackson’s imperiled nomination is just the latest in a long string of Trump cabinet scandals and failures which demonstrate that Trump excels only at surrounding himself with people who are as incompetent and corrupt as he is.