When does Idaho Congressman Walt Minnick plan to quit lying about his military service? It's been a week since it was first pointed out that Walt had been misrepresenting his service on his campaign Facebook page and, as shown below, still no change. Today that lie was repeated nationally by KIDO radio's Austin Hill.
Walt Minnick never served in Vietnam. In fact as pointed out here, he tried desperately to avoid being drafted and did so by joining the Army Reserve. He said so in his own words in The Native Home of Hope: People & the Northern Rockies, published in 1986.
“I went to law school during the Vietnam era when draft deferments were hard to get. I was admitted to Harvard Law school but my local draft board didn't want to let me go. My draft appeal finally worked its way up to the presidential appeals board. If I won, I would be able to finish my first year of law school and then get drafted. If the state of Washington won, I would have to go right away. I didn't mind going in the army, but I really wanted to finish law school first. So I joined the Reserve Officer Training Corps unit—that was a couple of years before ROTC got thrown off the Harvard campus.”
When called to fulfill his two-year active duty obligation, he was assigned to the Pentagon where he worked on economic aspects of Vietnamization. He spent approximately 18 months of his two-year commitment there; the remainder was spent in the White House.
The Vietnam service lie is repeated at Boardroom Insiders, where they credit him with "a tour of duty in Vietnam," and at LivPAC. "He served as a 1st Lieutenant in the Vietnam war. He then returned home to serve in the White House," according to their biography.
And now the lie has been picked up by Austin Hill (on whose radio show Minnick appeared Thursday), published on his own blog and spread to the well-known conservative site, Townhall, where Hill calls Minnick a "veteran of the Viet Nam [sic] war."
Wonder how the family of Walla Walla Community College alumnus Daryl Meidinger, who actually did do a tour of duty in Vietnam but never returned, feels about Walt's avoiding the draft and the misrepresentations about his service? Reports say that Meidinger was killed in action April 30, 1969, just a few days before Minnick received his JD from Harvard. Bet he would have "really wanted to finish" something, too.
Update: John Foster, campaign spokesman for Congressman Minnick, has responded:
Please correct your post and title immediately. Walt has never lied or misled anyone about his military service. While not permanently stationed in Vietnam, he did travel, work and serve there as part of his work in the Pentagon to improve the country's economy. (He also spent time in Afghanistan while working on drug issues.) Attacking someone's military service is the worst kind of attack, particularly when it is done by a fellow veteran.
Supporting and assisting veterans is an issue of top importance to Walt. During my time in his Congressional office, I watched our casework team help more than 700 Idaho vets get the benefits they were owed. I watched out Idaho staffers help honor vets and get them the commendations they had earned. And I watched our DC staff craft legislation to make it easier for rural vets to get the care they deserve. All because Walt makes this issue a priority for his offices.
As evidenced by the two biographies quoted in the post above, "serving his country in Vietnam" is not generally perceived to mean traveling there on occasion; it's generally perceived to mean in combat. Veterans of all generations understand that embellishing or misleading others about one's military service is inexcusable. It should also be noted that Minnick's Congressional biographies do not include the same misleading phrase.
Update 2: Minnick's spokesman has advised that they consider the Facebook page referenced above "inactive" and their new official campaign page can be found here, with the first visible entry being made February 14. The controversial phrase on the old page has been edited to avoid further confusion.
Garth, he served *during* Vietnam and flew there on occasion. It's misleading to say he "served in Vietnam." That isn't just our opinion; Foster's initial email to me suggested that Minnick was aware that people could get the wrong impression. Even the biographies that I posted mistakenly credit him with a "tour of duty in Vietnam." Where do you think they got that idea? Thousands of young men like Daryl Meidinger never came home from their tours of duty while Minnick spent the majority of his time in the Pentagon. Donald Rumsfeld flew to Iraq many times... no one would suggest he "served in Iraq."
Posted by: MountainGoat | March 30, 2010 at 04:32 PM
I am ashamed. I am ashamed today to call myself an Idaho democrat. Here we have, one of the most honest representatives in congress. One that refuses to be bought. One who demands the bills that make it into law for the American people are appropriate for HIS constituents. And his own party attacks him. I am terribly ashamed. I was talking to a 72 year old gal the other day and she asked me to tell her one politician that wasn't crooked. I was so proud that one has emerged that I could tell her. I told her Walt Minnick. He votes his constituents. He votes his conscience. HIS VOTE CAN NOT BE BOUGHT. It does not belong to a corporation or a political party, it doesn't even belong to Walt. It belongs to the wonderful people of Idaho he represents. I am sorry if life's funny ways have somehow mis-directed you to Idaho. But please know this is not California or Maryland. I for one do a significant amount of canvassing (Please feel free to help out if you would like, I have my own personal office we canvass out of and all supplies will be provided 208-697-5888). And when you go to the doors of these people and see the response I get from voters on Walt Minnick, it is wonderful.It gives me the opportunity to introduce them to other democrats. It changes the stigma that we are going to take their guns and kill their babies. People listen to me now more than they ever have, because of Walt. Walt ran an honest campaign and told everyone how he would vote. The democrats assumed he was pandering. I am absolutely heart broken as it seems they hoped he was pandering. Well here is a dose of honesty, one that our state and our country needs. So look at yourselves, I hope you see that the democratic party is the 2000-2008 republican party now. Push and cheat legislation through just because we want it. Ignoring constituents thoughts and wants. Today I am ashamed to call myself an Idaho democrat. Tomorrow I will not be. Tomorrow the democrats will remember what makes us the greatest party. Tomorrow we will remember that we are the "big tent" party that accepts ideas from a diverse people. Tomorrow, though we may not agree with our neighbors, we will respect them. Tomorrow we will appreciate having someone in office that agrees with us more than 12% of the time for the first time in 16 years. Tomorrow we will see the wonderful opportunity Walt has opened up for us. An opportunity that didn't exist before because the people of Idaho didn't understand what a democrat was. Walt has shown them all what it takes to be a democrat, caring for the well being of the people around you. Walt has shown them that we aren't going to take your guns or kill your babies. Thank you Walt! Thank you for making it alright to be a democrat in Idaho. Thank you for the opportunities to speak with voters and have them listen that didn't exist before. Walt, thank you for being honest and respecting your constituents more than the corporations. Thank you for remembering you are from Idaho. Thank you for allowing me to have a congressman I am proud of. Thank you for giving the party I agree with most a majority. Shame on all of you that expect any different. All of your efforts will go into once again giving us 2-12% of the vote from our representative rather than the 66.02% we enjoy right now. You will destroy the opportunities that have been created for us at the door. Shame on you. I beg that you put down the granola bar and kool-aid and come with me door to door. When you have an opportunity to speak with the AMAZING people of Idaho everyday you will see that, though sometimes misguided, they are WONDERFUL people. And their feelings mean just as much as ours. And as of right now they out number us.But they will listen to what I have to say for the first time. Thank you Walt.
Posted by: Thaddius | March 31, 2010 at 11:54 AM
"I am sorry if life's funny ways have somehow mis-directed you to Idaho. But please know this is not California or Maryland."
We certainly know that this is not California or Maryland and we certainly weren't misdirected to Idaho. I hope MG doesn't mind me speaking for her, but both of us were born and raised in Idaho. Both of us have chosen to stay in Idaho, despite, at least for myself, opportunities to go elsewhere. We love this state and used to be very proud Idaho Democrats. We've worked tirelessly for Idaho Democrats and we will continue to work hard for Idaho Democrats.
Walt simply isn't one.
Posted by: thepoliticalgame | March 31, 2010 at 01:08 PM
What is an "Idaho Democrat" then? What is Walt? Why is he not a democrat. I personaly agree with most of his voting and love who he is. Does that mean I am not a democrat? I gave up my career recently to work in this election for all democrats. Please tell me if I am not a democrat I still have time get my old job back.
Posted by: Thaddius | March 31, 2010 at 01:49 PM
Thaddius, when you want to talk logic, get back to me.
Posted by: thepoliticalgame | March 31, 2010 at 02:01 PM
I feel that is a fair question. What is an Idaho Democrat? Why does Walt not fit into that category?
Posted by: Thaddius | March 31, 2010 at 02:04 PM
He never became a Democrat, refuses to call himself one. The only reason he ran as one in 1996 was because Cece Andrus threatened to run a "real Democrat" against him if he was on the ballot as an Independent. In any other state he'd be a fairly conservative Republican. Would you like a list?
Maybe if you capitalized Democrat I'd take you more seriously. That's just as irksome as those who refuse to call it the DemocratIC Party.
Posted by: thepoliticalgame | March 31, 2010 at 02:08 PM
Someone who votes with the Democratic party 66% of the time would be a conservative Republican in which state? Please show me a conservative Republican in any state that votes with the Democrats 66% of the time. Please give me specific reasons he is not a Democrat. Not just "He never became a Democrat". When did I become a Democrat? I don't know it doesn't matter. Are we not the party of the "big tent"? Walt has told me on multiple occasions he is a Democrat.
Posted by: Thaddius | March 31, 2010 at 02:24 PM
I agree with Thaddius.. Just because the man is gracious and talks to every one doesn't mean he doesn't support lot of our Democratic values. We would be hard pressed, as Democrats, to field another candidate of his ability and stature. Bob
Posted by: Bob Solomon | March 31, 2010 at 02:57 PM
He's gracious and talks to everyone? I don't know where you're going with that, Bob, but I know of a few people who can't get their phone calls returned--people Walt should be talking to.
Posted by: thepoliticalgame | March 31, 2010 at 06:36 PM
Bob, I appreciate your opinion, I really do. But there is a difference between being "gracious" and bashing the people who got you elected.
Posted by: MountainGoat | March 31, 2010 at 07:22 PM
PG and MG are pathetic. We real Democrats honor the service our of veterans not insult it. What does it say when you follow Bill Sali's lead and insult veterans? As for whats for the good of the party I like the idea you two leaving it.
Posted by: Real Democrat | April 01, 2010 at 01:59 AM
The real point of this is the service lie. anymore answers?
-manny
Posted by: mountain communitiy homes | April 01, 2010 at 02:01 AM
The real point is how can any Democrat not condemn the lies the mountain goat is spreading. I wonder if they have heard of defamation of charcter?
Posted by: Real Democrat | April 01, 2010 at 02:46 AM
No one insulted veterans -- I'm a veteran myself -- and no one insulted Walt's service; we requested that he not embellish it.
Manny, I don't have any new updates and I've posted those I've received; the last one, they have edited the misleading language on the old campaign facebook page.
Posted by: MountainGoat | April 01, 2010 at 08:35 AM
When you title it "the service lie" yes you are insulting his service. You can't agrue with far left liberals they don't understand logic and arn't real Democrats.
Posted by: Real Democrat | April 01, 2010 at 02:29 PM
Did I stumble on Bill Oreilly's page? Ohh I see this is the democratic version of "The Spin Zone".
Posted by: I'm a real Democrat too | April 01, 2010 at 03:05 PM
Good lord, people. Get a grip! By the logic being expressed here supporting the belief that Walt Minnick served in Vietnam we would also have to believe that Jane Fonda served in Vietnam as well. Not only that but Jane pulled a mission behind enemy lines! Walt Minnick is a Vietnam era veteran, he is not a Vietnam vet.
Posted by: Gary Eller | April 01, 2010 at 03:29 PM