A.G. Gancarski
Several members of Florida’s congressional delegation are joining Republican colleagues to pillory Democratic vice presidential nominee Tim Walz over his inaccurate statements about aspects of his military service.
U.S. Sen. Rick Scott and U.S. Reps. Neal Dunn, Scott Franklin, Anna Paulina Luna, Brian Mast, Cory Mills and Mike Waltz joined a letter signed by 50 veterans in Congress. Those Republicans said they “feel compelled” to urge Walz to “address your egregious misrepresentations” and “come clean to the American people” about what critics call stolen valor.
The “grave concern stems from the fact that the office of the Vice President is one heartbeat away from becoming the Commander-In-Chief,” the letter reads.
“You’ve already demonstrated your unwillingness to lead in time of war and a lack of honor through your blatant misrepresentations exploiting and co-opting the experiences of America’s combat veterans for personal gain.”
These legislators have hammered Waltz for leaving the National Guard ahead of an Iraq deployment, and fighting in war among other misstatements.
“I was a Green Beret that served as a commander of a National Guard unit. And guess what, when the nation called and we were told to go, I went. As the commander of a unit, I didn’t leave my marine Berets leaderless, like somebody else we may know,” Waltz said about Walz weeks ago.
Walz, the Minnesota Governor, has played up his military service since becoming a candidate, as past statements have emerged where Walz took what some consider to be rhetorical license.
He talked about “kicking the butt” of the National Rifle Association with “common sense legislation that protects the Second Amendment” while imposing “background checks” ending “reciprocal carry” between states.
“We can make sure that those weapons of war, that I carried in war, is the only place where those weapons are at,” Walz said in a video talking about gun control measures.
22 comments
Michael K
August 21, 2024 at 10:33 am
What a disgrace. My father says he did not leave the Republican party – the republican party left him. He earned a medal for his service and is disgusted and angered by what people like Scott and Vance are saying. John McCain is rolling in his grave over the moral disintegration and selfish greed of the party of Trump.
These people are not patriots – they are amoral opportunists.
Recovering Republican
August 21, 2024 at 11:06 am
“My father says he did not leave the Republican party – the republican party left him.”
This is exactly me as well. I voted for George Bush, and his son Junior twice (yikes) and by the time Obama came around I knew I was witnessing the complete moral and mental breakdown of the GOP around me in their response to a black president. By the time Trump came around I was embarrassed to ever have been a part of the GOP, and KNEW that the GOP that I knew was dead and replaced with this weird un-American, authoritarian, Christofascist group of trash people.
ScienceBLVR
August 21, 2024 at 10:51 am
And to denigrate Walz while idolizing the draft dodging doofus is just so unpatriotic. This whole mantra the GOP is using, that if you didn’t serve in the military, you are lesser than somehow. Sure I respect military service, but I also respect and support the patriotism of police and first responders who also risk their lives to keep others safe. I respect the patriotism of educators who spend countless hours keeping other’s children safe. People who serve in the military are well rewarded for their efforts and many receive lifetime benefits others don’t. Signing bonuses, housing, education benefits. Etc. It’s a job like many others that can be dangerous or easy, but still… It doesn’t make anyone “better than” or more “American”, so come, wearing a Navy hat or camouflage doesn’t make you a decent person. It’s how you treat others that makes you a true patriot.
Recovering Republican
August 21, 2024 at 11:11 am
“And to denigrate Walz while idolizing the draft dodging doofus is just so unpatriotic.”
Lets not forget that one of the GOP’s celebrity Golden Boys is none other than Ted Nugent. A guy who once adopted a 17 year old girl (Pele Massa) because he couldn’t legally marry her. He adopted a child just so he could have sex with her. Then he bragged in an interview with High Times about how he dodged the draft by pooping in his pants and not showering for a month so he wouldn’t pass the mental health exam.
These are the people the GOP look up to.
MH/Duuuval
August 21, 2024 at 2:44 pm
Sounds like Ted, all right — and our military was right to refuse him.
PatRIOT
August 21, 2024 at 11:04 am
Didn’t Scott take an early out from the Navy??? What’s the truth behind that fiasco? I’m old enough to know others who did same had “issues”.
Scott wasn’t a wash out SEAL, that’s 4 sure.
Yrral
August 21, 2024 at 11:18 am
Rick Scott has PMSD or Post Medicare Stealing Disorder Google Rick Scott Medicare Fraud
Michael K
August 21, 2024 at 11:41 am
Here’s what former Trump Press Secretary Stephanie Grisham said last night:
“Behind closed doors, Trump mocked his supporters as ‘basement dwellers’ and once, on a hospital visit, he was upset that cameras were focused on intensive care unit patients rather than on him.
“He has no empathy, no morals and no fidelity to the truth,” she said. “He used to tell me, ‘It doesn’t matter what you say, Stephanie. Say it enough, and people will believe you.’”
MH/Duuuval
August 21, 2024 at 2:47 pm
Once again: Women to the front of truth-telling. Let’s see if they take back in the voting booth their equal rights and humanity.
PeterH
August 21, 2024 at 12:21 pm
Like many voters who populate America’s second largest voting block INDEPENDENT VOTERS, I left the Republican Party after Ronald Reagan tripled the national debt to lower unemployment by less than 2% points over eight years in office. Reagan’s policies of funding and providing arms in undeclared Central America wars murdered tens of thousands of civilians and destabilized the region that has resulted in the continued mass migration from this region that we continue to see today at our southern border. Reagan’s failed Laffer Curve supply side economic and tax policies coupled with labor union busting lined the pockets of the wealthy at the expense of middle class Americans. We’re not going back.
Dont Say FLA
August 21, 2024 at 1:14 pm
Whatever Walz does, it’ll be better than bilking Medicare for billions of dollars like Rick Scott’s company did that fraud that time
Michael S
August 21, 2024 at 5:44 pm
I was a ‘draft lottery pick’ before it meant a $6 million a year contract.
We didn’t worry about ‘valor’, we worried about getting out in one piece…period. I don’t support Walz making an embellished personal claim, but I will move past that faster than someone who when asked whether anti-abortion laws should include rape and incest exceptions, says “Two wrongs don’t make a right.” The former is wrong-headed speaking, the latter is wrong-headed thinking.
ThankYoufor Serving
August 22, 2024 at 2:40 pm
Same old Republican attack on Democrat candidates when it comes to service. They just sceam louder and longer. Trump had a doctor and daddy had money, so he was draft exempt. 43 used the National Guard, because 41 knew best. Then these evaders have the nerve to call out similar dodging or what type of service the others did.
You sir, should not vote Trump based on the dodge alone. Thank you for your service. I wish you had knowledgeable guidance, or money, to avoid that horror.
Also, politicians should stay out of women’s reproductive lives. Vote Yes on 4! Abortion is between the patient and their doctor.
Rick Scott took the early out from the Navy…that should be at the end of every article written about him, just before his 50 million dollar fine for defrauding Medicare.
Phil Morton
August 21, 2024 at 9:00 pm
Rick Scott served for 29 months, Tim Walz served for 24 years. We appreciate the service of both but the commitment by Walz is self evident.
Jojo
August 21, 2024 at 10:12 pm
Excuse me while I pick myself up off the floor from laughter. Rick Scott has no business criticizing a moral, stellar character like Tim Walz. Walz is everything Scott is not
Flash Light
August 22, 2024 at 7:15 am
Vote Debbie Mucarsel Powell in November, so we no longer have to hear from Rick Scott.
Jojo
August 22, 2024 at 7:24 am
“ When they were banning books from their schools, we were banishing hunger from ours”
If ever a statement epitomized the ideological cruelty of Rick Scott, Ron Desantis, Matt Gaetz and every other republican in this state THIS is it
Vote Rick Scott out
August 22, 2024 at 8:29 am
Good grief. Tim enlisted at age 17. He reenlisted after 9-11. He served with honor. He was not medically cleared when his unit deployed AFTER he had retired. I am sick and tired of the twisted lies of Rick Scott and his MAGA misfits. Meanwhile, they idolize a draft evader who tried to prevent the peaceful transition of power and who encouraged a riot to attack our Congress. You know, the poop in diaper liar who called himself a great warrior because he dated during STD outbreak which he equated with his Viet Nam. You know, the loser who called our soldiers “losers and suckers” and who diminished John McCain for getting held as a POW. The moral depravity of these MAGA GOP blowhards is hard to understand. God damn them to Hell
Joe
August 22, 2024 at 10:36 am
Pathetic bunch of craven liars. Rick Scott spent all of 2 years on a boat in Boston and Bermuda, so he can F right off with his indignance. The right-wing party stands for literally nothing anymore.
My Take
August 22, 2024 at 7:04 pm
But he wears that NAVY cap !
Fred Kiehl
August 23, 2024 at 12:21 pm
Walz would not run, because his butt would be safe in Washington DC. He would just put our patriotic soldiers in harm’s way without risking his own life. Komrad Kamala would do the same if given the chance.
LawLib
August 23, 2024 at 4:37 pm
Rick ( cut and run) Scott has a lot of nerve throwing stones at Tim Walz, casting him as a”cut & run” candidate for VP. A quick review of Scott’s record in the Senate saus it all – constantly voting against appropriations for Ukraine in their heroic fight for freedom from the Republicans new best friend – Putin.
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