U.S. Rep. Mike Coffman suggested Tuesday that the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs has an internal policy preventing it from working out a dispute with whistle-blowers who are accusing a VA supervisor of sexual harassment and assault.

In a letter to VA Secretary Robert A. McDonald, the Aurora Republican said the VA “may have an informal policy to not enter into monetary settlements with whistle-blowers” to avoid a review by the department’s Office of Accountability Review.

Coffman’s letter stems from incidents with five female nurses at a VA outpatient clinic in Aurora who said they were sexually assaulted or harassed by a male nurse.

Two of the female nurses, who were contract employees, were fired.

Another nurse, Debora Casados, was removed from her duties in October 2014 after coming forward and was moved to a windowless basement office to scan documents.

In April, she received an informal stay as the U.S. Office of Special Counsel reviews her whistle-blower reprisal claims.

The male nurse was allowed to resign, and no criminal charges were filed.

Trish Bangert, who is representing the nurses, said the women initially were not seeking a monetary award but now are after modest compensation.

“It’s not about the money; it’s the betrayal of public trust,” Bangert said. “Stop making these women’s lives miserable. Stop allowing them to be victimized by this predator then victimized again telling them they’re liars.”

The VA did not provide immediate comment.

One of the women, Cheryl Franklin, told The Denver Post that she was hired at the Aurora facility in June 2013. The male nurse was hired about a month later and began making sexual jokes and tried to touch her inappropriately, she said.

One day, Franklin said, the male nurse trapped her in a stairwell. “He pushed me up against the wall and tried to kiss me,” Franklin said.

She continued working there, but Franklin said the director and manager started rifling through desk drawers claiming to be looking for something they could have just asked Franklin to provide. She also says she was called a liar by them in front of patients.

Franklin was supposed to get a promotion in September but that has not happened, she said.

In his letter, Coffman said the VA needs to hold its managers accountable for their actions.

“Even by VA standards, the retaliatory treatment of this group of dedicated VA nurses over the past year has been appalling,” Coffman said in a statement.