Donald Trump’s running mate, JD Vance, has made explosive allegations against Democrat Tim Walz that could have widespread implications in the forthcoming Presidential polls scheduled for November 2024.
What are the allegations, and how could they throw a spanner into the Democratic Party’s electoral ambitions? Read on to know more about this evolving story.
Republican JD Vance Levels Stolen Valor Accusations at Democrat Tim Walz
Republican JD Vance is alleging that Democrat Tim Walz is guilty of “stolen valor,” and the allegations have a legal aspect also since, if true, it is a serious offence under Federal Law to lie about military service to try to defraud people.
Vote Vets just set JD Vance straight on his lies about Walz leaving his unit to avoid war. His notice of retirement was put in long before. Other Vets also set him straight on his stolen valor lie. This is just another one of Trump and his goons banishing of the Military. pic.twitter.com/T0zlQ6rveY
— Dobie lover.
I WON’T BOW TO PROJECT 2025 (@GallihughDeb) August 8, 2024
While there is no evidence that Tim Walz has committed any such crime in his military career, unpleasant questions are being raised about how Walz has boasted about his service, including claims that he carried a gun “in war,” when he never saw active combat.
The Kamala Harris campaign team has issued a statement which read,
“In his 24 years of service, the Governor carried, fired, and trained others to use weapons of war innumerable times. Governor Walz would never insult or undermine any American’s service to this country — in fact, he thanks Senator Vance for putting his life on the line for our country. It’s the American way.”
However, it was revealed that Walz retired from the Army National Guard at a time when war clouds were rumbling over Iraq, but he was preparing to run for political office.
In 2005, Tim Walz had 24 years of service in the Army National Guard and earned the rank of command sergeant major. It was the highest enlisted rank for his unit and one with considerable responsibility.
There was a possibility of his unit being sent to the war with Iraq since it was the Pentagon’s policy that the presence of US troops in Iraq would stabilize the nation help the new coalition government and prevent a civil war.
Walz was a vocal critic of Bush’s war policies and was a father of a 4-year-old girl at that time. He opted for retirement in May and ran for public office instead.
Investigations by different media houses revealed that the National Guard, the 1st Battalion of the 125th Field Artillery, received an alert order on July 14, 2005, which was two months after Walz retired. The mobilization order came in August, and the unit mobilized in October.
However, JD Vance contended that Tim Walz, as a command sergeant major at the time, shouldn’t have allowed his unit to deploy without him.
JD Vance said,
“I think it’s shameful to prepare [a] unit to go to Iraq, to make a promise that you’re going to follow through, and then to drop out right before you actually have to go. I also think it’s dishonest.”
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