A Federal Judge, VA Land Hackers and Homeless Veterans

Robert L. RosebrockOP-ED

A federal judge recently sentenced a man to 10 years in prison after he hacked into the personal online accounts of Hollywood actress Scarlett Johansson and recording star Christina Aguilera. The man, Christopher Chaney, posted their revealing photos and other material on the Internet for public use.

The case included the revelation that nude photos taken by Johansson of herself and meant for her then-husband Ryan Reynolds were leaked online. Ms. Johansson declared: “I have been truly humiliated and embarrassed. I find Christopher Chaney's actions to be perverted and reprehensible.”

The judge who sentenced the hacker sternly proclaimed: “It's hard to fathom the mindset of a person who would accomplish all of this. These types of crimes are as pernicious and serious as physical stalking.”

More than eighteen months ago, the ACLU filed a federal lawsuit against Eric K. Shinseki, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA), and his executive director of the Los Angeles VA, Donna Beiter, for misusing Veterans’ land and mistreating disabled homeless Veterans (Valenti v. Shinseki).

Going Public Against Its Will

The case includes revelations that land given to the U.S. government meant for a National Veterans Home was essentially hacked into for non-Veteran use while dispossessing and exiling tens of thousands of disabled, disadvantaged Veterans, forcing them to live homeless, hungry and destitute in back-alley squalor.

Under the direction of VA bureaucrats with full blessings from a U.S. Congressional delegation, Veterans’ sacred land is being used for a public dog park, public recreation park, public theaters, public botanical gardens, public golf course, private soccer field, tennis courts and playground for wealthy kids, and other misuses.

Additionally, a state-of-the-art collegiate baseball diamond on Veterans property is occupied by UCLA, the alma mater of U.S. Rep. Henry A. Waxman, the elected public servant entrusted to make sure that none of this would ever happen.

It's hard to fathom the mindset of people who would accomplish all of this. These types of crimes are as pernicious and serious as physical stealing.

Incredulously, the judge overseeing the ACLU lawsuit dismissed two of the three claims as he cowardly hid behind nebulous loopholes on behalf of VA bureaucrats instead of ruling up front with moral compassion on behalf of disabled homeless Veterans.

Can This Be Same Man?

Veterans need the same no-nonsense, hard-nosed judge who ruled on behalf of Ms. Johansson and Ms. Aguilera to rule in their behalf.

That would be U.S. District Judge S. James Otero.

Hey, wait a minute!

This is the same judge!

Does it surprise any fellow Veteran that non-Veteran Judge Otero would rule with an iron fist on behalf of two wealthy, glamorous entertainers by sending a man to 10 years in prison for hacking into their personal Internet account for public use, while dismissing major claims in a lawsuit for tens of thousands of homeless Veterans who have had their healthcare rights denied and their legally deeded “Home” hacked into and stolen for public use?

Of course not.

Veterans have been truly humiliated. We find Judge Ortero’s actions to be perverted and reprehensible.
Nevertheless, Veterans who pledged their lives to defend our nation’s freedom have become accustomed to callous, bigoted injustice by our so-called judicial system.

Last Remaining Claim

While Veterans have little or no faith in Judge Otero, there’s still one claim left, the illicit agreements used to infiltrate Veterans’ property, i.e., hacked into for non-Veteran public use.

These include the aforementioned arrangements that were misappropriated through unprecedented compromises at the highest levels of the VA, including a Congressional delegation.

Nevertheless, it’s expected that Judge Ortero will be consistent and rule against Veterans on behalf of a wealthy, powerful homeowner group that has a privileged agreement to build a public community park on a billion-dollar parcel of Veterans land “rent-free,” instead of the VA building emergency shelter for our disabled, homeless Veterans.

This renegade cabal operates under the ruse of being a Veterans organization and secretively manipulated the VA and the Dept. of the Interior to declare more than 40 antiquated buildings on Veterans property to be designated as “historic” (many are vacant and rat-infested) and maintain these morbid, disgusting relics just as they are to further ensure that homeless Veterans never will be housed on these hallowed grounds.

The arrogant homeowner group shamefully boasts that the VA and National Parks Services have asked them to be stewards across the entire Veterans property, providing tourist-oriented services for the public instead of providing permanent supportive housing for disabled Veterans as mandated in the Deed of 1888.

He Will Not Step in

Rest assured, Judge Otero will not interfere with this reprehensible arrangement since he already ruled against the VA’s violation of the legal Deed that was preceded by an Act of Congress in 1887. Unforgivably, Congressman Waxman abandoned his own entrusted stewardship to protect this land in lieu of a takeover by his well-heeled constituents.

According to Judge Ortero’s warped reasoning, it’s more pernicious and serious for one person to hack the photos of two celebrities for public use than it is for a group of wealthy homeowners to hack the land of thousands of disabled, destitute and homeless Veterans for public use.
It’s time to stop deceptive non-profit and for-profit corporations who continue to use the plight of homeless Veterans for their benefit and never remove one homeless Veteran from the street.

It’s time to stop the bogus “counting” of homeless Veterans by our government that never removes one homeless Veteran from the street.

If you’re in a position to count a homeless Veteran, then you’re in a position to help a homeless Veteran. They need help, not fabricated body counting, disingenuous documentary films, meaningless panel discussions or more dust-collecting resolutions.

Homeless Veterans need help, and help comes from action.

It’s time for just one politician with a conscience to show some leadership by stepping forward and declaring that Los Angeles is in a “state of emergency” and demand an immediate implementation of a homeless Veteran humanitarian relief program.

It’s time for our citizenry, along with all Veterans service organizations and advocacy groups to unify and demand full Congressional, FBI and federal grand jury investigations into the biggest land fraud scam in American history and stop the cronyism and widespread crime and corruption at the biggest VA in the nation.

It’s time for full Investigations by the aforementioned along with the United Nations into human rights violations, crimes against humanity, violation of the Americans With Disabilities Act, malice, willful neglect, humiliating and degrading treatment, reckless disregard, endangerment, discrimination.

It’s time for action!

God Bless America and the Veterans Revolution!

Mr. Rosebrock may be contacted at rrosebrock1@aol.com