Admittedly, it’s the Ninth Circuit Court, so it’s even money whether or not that ruling stands. Yes, yes, it shouldn’t be and dice have no memory… but really: there’s a reason why “9th Circuit” is shorthand for “wacky judicial hi-jinks.”
Personally, I see no reason why I need to alter my elemental revulsion on the subject. Which is one reason why supporting the Linda McMahon campaign ended up being so easy for me…
It’s enough to make you wonder whether the White House wants the Democrats to keep Dodd’s seat:
Vice President Joe Biden on Wednesday took an unexpected dig at Connecticut Senate candidate Richard Blumenthal (D) for misstating his military service record.
While speaking at a barbecue for wounded soldiers, he commented about veterans coming home from the Vietnam War. Biden, who has a penchant for being loquacious, veered into the Connecticut Senate race.
“I didn’t serve in Vietnam. I don’t want to make a Blumenthal mistake here,” he said according to a pool report.
First off: ‘loquacious’ is not exactly the word that I’d use, as it does not have the same connotations for disaster and embarrassment that, say, ‘going off half-cocked’ does. Second: Dick Blumenthal didn’t ‘misstate:’ he lied. Third: any guesses on Biden’s intent, here? It’s usually safe to assume that he didn’t mean to throw another log on the Blumenthal pyre; but it’s also possible that somebody told him that it was important to push the ‘misstatement’ meme, and this is just Joe Biden’s way of trying to help. Continue reading Joe Biden Opens His Mouth: Dick Blumenthal edition.
I had the opportunity to talk with Rob Simmons (R CAND, CT-SEN) this afternoon, so of course we discussed the recent art theft in Paris… no, of course I’m joking. We talked about Dick Blumenthal’s lying about his military record:
Rob Simmons’ site is here: details about the Vets for Freedom PAC endorsement here.
Moe Lane
Crossposted to RedState.
Possibly AG Richard Blumenthal (D CAND, CT-SEN) should not have used a VFW hall to host his explanation of why he wasn’t always lying about serving in Vietnam? – Because the local organization is not happy about that. Its head (Richard DiFederico) calledBlumenthal’s claims “false” and “outrageous,” and Blumenthal’s choice of venue won’t help that any:
DiFederico’s statement came after Blumenthal’s dramatic and defiant press conference Tuesday at a VFW hall in West Hartford, an event which took place in response to a New York Times report that the Connecticut attorney general had on more than one occasion said he had served in Vietnam, although his time in the Marine Corps Reserve was in fact spent in Washington and Connecticut
Blumenthal is not a member of the VFW, and national leaders noted that he wouldn’t meet the eligibility requirement if he tried to join because he didn’t actually serve in a theatre of combat. The group’s bylaws also do not allow any level of the organization to endorse political candidates.
Jerry Newberry, the director of communications at the VFW’s Kansas City headquarters, said that the national leadership “did not sanction and was not, in fact, aware that the press conference was going to be held at a VFW Post.”
Continue reading CT VFW lays into Blumenthal for fake military claims.
It’s still a table-running, long-shot, dear-God-everything-has-to-line-up-perfectly, but if Lying Dick Blumenthal is as dead in the water as he looks Connecticut just screeched its way back up on the Big Board. How bad is it? Bad enough that Chris Dodd will be giving his plan to retire a second look. You don’t lie about serving like this. You just don’t.
Fool.
(Via @stoo11) Please, my foes: please decide that fighting the Stolen Valor Act on First Amendment grounds is a necessary thing.
Please.
The federal courts are wrestling with a question of both liberty and patriotism: Does the First Amendment right to free speech protect people who lie about being war heroes?
At issue is a three-year-old federal law called the Stolen Valor Act that makes it a crime punishable by up to a year in jail to falsely claim to have received a medal from the U.S. military. It is a crime even if the liar makes no effort to profit from his stolen glory.
Attorneys in Colorado and California are challenging the law on behalf of two men charged, saying the First Amendment protects almost all speech that doesn’t hurt someone else.
And be sure to reflexively mention your political affiliation when you do.
Moe Lane
PS: If anyone cares: in my opinion the right to free speech does include the right to lie, but it doesn’t stretch to cover the right to commit fraud. Even if there’s no direct monetary consideration involved.
Fancy that. See AoSHQ & CDR Salamander for details: the short version is this Michael Patrick McManus guy went to Democrat Houston mayor Annise Parker’s victory party with more decorations than Patton’s, and now he’s been arrested on a federal misdemeanor charge.
Yes, I know. The poor fellow.
I love local news sometimes.
Moe Lane
PS: This is the Flip UltraHD Camcorder, 120 Minutes (Black)
Just saying, that’s all.
