Jacob Ogles
Has a Manatee County Commission candidate mischaracterized his work for the Department of Defense as military service? Tal Siddique’s campaign said he did no such thing, but critics called his claims “stolen valor.”
The Bradenton Republican has made his work with the Air Force a key part of his campaign. An online bio describes the District 3 County Commission candidate as “a servant-leader who has worked in the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and the U.S. Air Force.”
He seemed to go a step further in a recent interview with the Anna Maria Island Sun, which quoted Siddique describing his time “in the Air Force.” (Notably, the newspaper reviewed audio of the interview and has since updated its story to reflect Siddique said “for the Air Force.” The updated quote appears below.)
“I bring the right skills, experience and temperament. I’m 30 years old but I’ve led a career for the Air Force building software and leading software teams. I’ve also managed complex budgets for a number of organizations and right now for the private sector I do the same thing, leading multiple software and product teams.”
But Siddique never enlisted or held any rank in the Air Force. His campaign did provide an earnings statement from the Department of Defense confirming he worked in a civilian position directly for the Department of Defense. That statement shows he had an hourly rate ($57.51) and earned leave time while in the branch’s employment, compensation offered to employees as opposed to outside contractors.
But Manatee County Commission Chair Mike Rahn, a veteran Marine, said it looks clear to him Siddique sought the air of service without service in the force.
“Even if he’s implying it, he’s using that implication to get votes, to get support, to get donations, to get whatever,” Rahn said, “to make himself seem better than the candidate he’s running against.”
Siddique is running for an open District County Commission seat and faces April Culbreath in an Aug. 20 Republican Primary. The winner advances to face Democrat Diana Shoemaker and a write-in candidate in November.
Representatives of Siddique pushed back on accusations Siddique lied about his relationship to the Air Force.
“In the video, the website, and the article, Mr. Siddique invariably limits description of his work to ‘software’ for the Air Force,” said attorney Mike Beltran. “Mr. Siddique never claimed any combatant or uniformed role. Nor did Mr. Siddique refer to any rank.
“It sounds like the opposition’s only basis for these attacks is the alleged and occasional use of the preposition ‘in’ rather than ‘for.’ This is not even inconsistent with Mr. Siddique’s role working on software for the Air Force. In any event, it certainly does not amount to ‘stolen valor.’”
Florida law classifies it as a third-degree felony to fraudulently use uniforms, medals or insignia for the Air Force or any military branch that an individual hasn’t been authorized to wear in the pursuit of public office or other material gain. None of the times Siddique has associated himself with the Air Force involve use of a uniform or claim of unearned honoraria.
But he has cited the Air Force specifically with frequency both in the campaign and professionally.
When Siddique was accepted to Leadership Manatee, a class roster identified him as “Talha Siddique, United States Air Force.” His campaign website states he “led software teams for the U.S. Air Force.” In a digital video of Siddique put out by his campaign, on-screen captions reference his work “leading software teams in the United States Air Force,” even as Siddique in audio states “for the Air Force.”
Beltran, also a state Representative, dismissed the insinuation Siddique misled the public about the work he did for the armed services in a civilian capacity. “Mr. Siddique could not have been trying to mislead anybody by accurately describing his role,” Beltran said.
But Rahn said Siddique crossed a line, and that the campaign videos and various other written statements always indicated he was part of the Air Force.
“It didn’t say ‘when I was a defense contractor attached to the Air Force,’ or ‘I was a civil servant employee attached to the Air Force,’” Rahn said. “It said ‘Air Force.’”
Notably, the conflict arises as Republicans nationally criticize Democratic Vice Presidential Candidate Tim Walz, alleging he exaggerated his service in the National Guard. That includes suggesting he “carried weapons of war in war” when he was never deployed to overseas combat, and that he retired immediately before his unit was deployed to Iraq.”
Rahn, a Republican, is happy to join that and said Walz did “some despicable things.”
“At least he was in the service,” Rahn said. “It’s hypocritical to say this guy’s doing a horrible thing, but we’re going to let this guy go.”
2 comments
rbruce
August 9, 2024 at 9:14 am
There are tens of thousands of civilians that work for the six military services. They all can correctly state they work for the services.
Nothing I read shows Mr. Siddique claiming to wear the uniform of the Air Force. I’m a Vet with 11yr of service who worked with many federal agencies, but have never claimed I work for them. I also worked alongside many civilians who can proudly state they work for the military.
Childless Cat Lady
August 9, 2024 at 11:36 am
The frivolous “stolen valor” attacks on Walz for his 24 years of Reserve service will backfire on the Trump – Vance campaign. The attacks on Walz have reminded the media to resurrect Trump’s recorded comments on his “service” to women during the Vietnam War.