Complaint No. 1781793584 - 1732320176

Case Reference: EEO/ORM Case No. 200P-644-2023-150580; Ramirez v. Phoenix VA (Case No. 2:25-cv-00959-CDB, District of Arizona)

John Placer has demonstrated a documented failure to comply with federal mandates and investigative requirements, raising significant concerns regarding his professional conduct and reliability as a witness. Under 38 CFR § 735.12 and VA Directive/Handbook 0500, VA employees are strictly required to participate fully and provide necessary information during administrative and civil rights investigations. However, in a sworn written affidavit submitted for the Office of Resolution Management (ORM), Placer withheld information essential to a non-selection inquiry regarding Vacancy Announcement CBSX-11720141-23-CLC.

Specifically, on pages 16–17 of his sworn statement, Placer was directed to identify the selectees for the Sergeant positions by name, race, color, age, and prior EEO activity. Despite these individuals being within his direct chain of command and interacting with them on a weekly basis, Placer left these answers blank. This omission effectively obstructed the investigation, as accurate responses to these baseline questions would have provided the necessary foundation for the subsequent 12 points of inquiry (Questions 5–17), which Placer largely failed to answer by claiming he did "not recall" or that the information was "unknown."

This lack of candor is further highlighted by Placer’s failure to acknowledge documented qualifications. During the inquiry, Placer did not disclose that both Officer Mario Ramirez and candidate Amber Camfield possessed specialized certifications, specifically the completion of the Evidence Custodian Course. By opting to leave the record blank regarding the identity of selectees he supervised and failing to account for documented professional qualifications of the applicants, Placer engaged in an intentional refusal to provide required data. This disregard for established legal and regulatory protocols serves as a basis for impeachment under Giglio-Brady standards, as it reflects a lack of accountability and a refusal to adhere to the rule of law during a formal civil rights proceeding.