Antonio Piconel, a VA Ambassador at the Department of Veterans Affairs, admits the federal government’s COVID response inside the office was a “disorganized catastrophe” where “everything was made up on the spot.”
In undercover footage, Piconel describes enforcing mask mandates and refusing service to veterans over COVID policies, while admitting a coworker suffered a serious vaccine reaction and “had to stay home two days.”
Despite personally knowing someone had a serious reaction to the vaccine, Piconel still argues veterans should be forced to comply with vaccine mandates in order to receive services at VA facilities.
When asked whether he would refuse service to “Super MAGA” veterans, Piconel responds enthusiastically: “YES! ALL THE TIME!”
After Piconel admitted denying service to veterans over politics or COVID compliance, he acknowledges the VA is federally prohibited from discriminating against veterans based on political affiliation.
The policy he references is Veterans Health Administration Directive 1019, a federal anti-discrimination directive governing all federally conducted and federally assisted VA programs.
The directive explicitly states: “It is VHA policy to prohibit discrimination in any and all VHA programs… on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin… and political affiliation.”
Yet despite those protections, Antonio Piconel admits he would refuse assistance to veterans based on their political beliefs.
Piconel also acknowledges that despite VA workplace policies restricting political displays inside federal offices, he continues wearing a Rainbow Pride lanyard and displaying LGBTQ symbols at his workstation knowingly and intentionally in defiance of policy.
He justifies it by stating: “If you want to resist government fascism… the first step is to not comply.”
According to Piconel, refusing to comply with rules is acceptable when it supports causes he personally agrees with.
But veterans who resisted mask mandates, vaccine requirements, or other COVID mandates were allegedly denied that same understanding or tolerance.
We called Antonio Piconel for comment and he confirmed his employment and said, “I don’t recall those statements.”
The undercover footage also reveals alleged internal resistance inside the VA to efforts aimed at eliminating DEI programs, with employees reportedly using bureaucratic loopholes to preserve race-based initiatives despite executive orders intended to end them.
America’s veterans sacrificed for this country. They deserve equal treatment, respect, and access to care, NOT political discrimination, selective enforcement, or ideological activism inside a federal agency.
If you are on the inside of any government agency, federal, state, or local office and you see corruption — if you know the American people are being lied to — reach out to us. Email us at [email protected] or by phone 914-491-9395. An OMG journalist will get back to you.
Please consider a tax-deductible donation to the Citizen Journalism Foundation to help fund independent investigative journalism and keep holding the powerful accountable.
Follow O’Keefe Media Group
