>A quiz for David Hedrick.

>.
Unfortunately, the records request took somewhat longer then I had anticipated, but as my source told me… it was worth the wait.

I have a 12 page extract from David Hedrick’s Marine Corps personnel file.

Much has been said of the allegations by Hedrick that his record is classified.

It isn’t.

Hedrick enlisted out of Tampa on October 7, 1997 for a 4 year enlistment and was discharged on April 4, 2001.

He earned a good conduct medal, a Sea Service Deployment Ribbon, a certificate of appreciation and an Expert Rifle Badge.

Hedrick was an 0311, Rifleman. He served in that capacity for 2 years and 11 months.

His records make no mention of any schooling or MOS of 0317 (Sniper) or 0321,(Reconnaissance Man). Hedrick was in Okinawa from June 3, 1999, to January 12, 2000.

He “participated in Urban Warrior Advanced Warfighting Experiment” in San Francisco with a “Special Purpose Marine Air Ground Task Force” for 2 weeks in March of 99.

That is the totality of the entries on the NAVMC Form 118/Combat History-Expeditions-Award Record (1070)

This is a solid, if unspectacular, record. There is no explanation for the early discharge (Some 6 months).

It is a record of service to this country to be proud of. But it is not the record Hedrick has mentioned… and it’s certainly not the record his supporters frequently cited.

For example:

J Says:
June 24, 2010 at 3:18 pm

This time you have been caught miss-stating the facts Lew. There is only one place with Marine pictures of Hedrick on the web. This video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BA0HrviTNBo&feature=fvw

Granted, you can’t see him well in the picture on the rope, but you can in many of the others. You took that reference from this video while clearly misleading everyone. Are you being completely forthright Lew?

Also, I found quite a bit about Hedrick’s “questionable military history” today after talking to a Marine who served with him in the same unit.When Hedrick is asked what he did in the Marines, he always says the same thing.

“I was a grunt in a HELO unit”

Hedrick was in fact a grunt in a HELO unit, albeit an extremely modest grunt.

Hedrick was also a Combat Water Safety Swimmer. This is the highest swim rating in the USMC with less that 1% making the cut. I found out you have to be a WSQ (permanent qualification) just to try out. In Hedrick’s class, of the approximately 100 or less WSQ’s on Pendleton, about 50 tried out and only 12 got into the class. Of that 12, only 5 graduated. Hedrick was among them.

I didn’t know that, did you?

Hedrick maintained a 1st class PFT throughout his time in the Corps, (Physical Fitness Test) the highest rating.

I didn’t know that, did you?

Hedrick was an expert rifleman, again the highest rating. As the best shot in his platoon, Hedrick was selected for and graduated from Designated Marksman training, which is a type of sniper school.

I didn’t know that, did you?

Hedrick was selected for and competed in Super Squad. This is a huge honor and is essentially the Marine Corps version of the Army’s Ranger challenge.

I didn’t know that, did you?

After serving overseas where he was part of a live mission (more about that later) he turned to the U.S. and joined Recon. This is Marine Corps Special Forces.

I didn’t know that, did you?

The fact is, how could a braggart who is “claiming to have done something that he did not do” for political gain, achieve all of this and most of his closest volunteers don’t even know about it? That doesn’t make sense at all does it Lew?

As for Hedrick’s involvement in a mission overseas, I am collecting information to corroborate the story I was just told by a Marine that was there with him. So far, it is nearly bullet proof. You might want to get an apology ready for this one.

Take a close look at the video above. Rumor has it that the island in the background of the picture where Hedrick is clearly shown on the deck of the USS Belleau Wood (The only LH3 in the Pacific at the time), is a little hotspot in Indonesia called East Timor. Hmmmmm, Hedrick as an 0311 (infantry), on the USS Belleau Wood, in late 1999, with an Island in the background that looks an awful lot like East Timor, where the 31st MEU, of which Hedrick was a part at the time, was conducting a live humanitarian operation as part of INTERFET, where according to Bill Clinton there were NO combat troops. Not a single one, I tell you. Clinton said the Navy was there to “feed the distressed people of East Timor”. For those who are wondering, 0311’s don’t show up to make you breakfast.

Of course, one must ask the question, what ship delivered the first round of support to East Timor where militias from the Muslim, Communist, West of the island were murdering and terrorizing the locals who had the audacity to demand independence, democratic representation and freedom?

That’s right,… It was the USS Belleau Wood.

What was the mission of the 31st MEU in Indonesia? Supporting INTERFET troops with supplies and logistics delivered primarily be helicopter because of the lack of fixed wing landing positions on the East side of the beautiful island of Timor.

What does Hedrick tell everyone he did in the Marines again?

“I was a grunt in a HELO unit”

Don’t worry; I will have much more after I check on a few things and it only gets better from here.

No. It only gets worse. Much worse.

There is nothing in the record to substantiate much of any of this beyond basic infantry training and a brief deployment in Okinawa. No mention of swimming of any kind. No mention of his PFT score. He never attended “Designated Marksman” training, which likely doesn’t exist, and certainly not as any kind of “sniper school.”

There is no mention of any “Super Squad.” Ranger Challenge is an ROTC competition, not to be confused with the “Best Ranger” competition, where 2 man teams, from Army-wide entries, are tested under extreme conditions. “Squads” do not Rangers make.

Hedrick shows as serving as a “recon Marine” for just under 5 months, but neither qualified for the MOS nor did he attend the Recon school (As a graduate of the Army Recon School at Ft. Know, with the MOS (it was 11D back in 72; it’s 19D now, as I understand it.) to prove it, I’m sensitive to that kind of thing.

To confuse such an assignment with a non-existent thing called “Marine Corps Special Forces” is, well, just something of a joke.

Calling the deployment story “nearly bullet proof” when there is essentially nothing to back it up is an example of the very thing “J” denies:

The fact is, how could a braggart who is “claiming to have done something that he did not do” for political gain, achieve all of this and most of his closest volunteers don’t even know about it? That doesn’t make sense at all does it Lew?

You’re right. It doesn’t. So the quiz question is this: why did he appear to do it?

This is an entry put up by somebody named Britany Welles, who apparently lives in Camas.

A US Marine needs our help.

• Posted by Welles on April 9, 2010 at 3:36am in General, Uncategorized Town Hall
• View Discussions

At an August town hall, a Marine named David Hedrick stood for our freedom. You will recognize him from this youtube video that was played all over the world, including Fox News, Limbaugh, Hannity and the rest.

.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_rRE5UK6NQU

.

We all know Hedrick is a Tea Party Patriot, but there is much about him that you may not know. Years ago, Marine Cpl David W. Hedrick, found himself serving on foreign shores. As a special forces sniper, with his spotter injured and unable to take the field, Hedrick could have stayed in the rear, but he refused. Instead, he ventured into enemy territory alone, and took up an over-watch position to protect a platoon of Marines on patrol.

.

Soon, an enemy sniper and his twenty some comrades bearing AK47s appeared within spiting distance of Hedrick’s location. The enemy took up positions to ambush the approaching squad of Marines. No one in his right mind would have challenged that number of men alone. Most would have snuck away or sat quietly, but not Hedrick.

.

Instead he fired his weapon taking out the enemy sniper and his spotter. Then Hedrick turned his weapon on the remainder of the AK47 wielding terrorists firing into them until his weapon was empty. While reloading, Hedrick was hit by explosives causing the disability and scars he caries to this day. Despite being hit by shrapnel, bloody and outnumbered, Cpl Hedrick continued to fight until the squad he had saved reached his position.

.

How do I know this story? My husband is one of the Marines Hedrick saved that day and my little girls have since been born as a testament to his courage.

.

David Hedrick is a real American Hero and he needs our help. He is now running for U.S. Congress. While he has more conservative grass roots volunteers than everyone else in the race, he will not be purchased by special interests and has refused their money. To remain competitive, Hedrick must raise $100,000 by May 1st from people like us. If he does not reach this goal, he can not afford to compete. We must not let this happen to someone who has given so much for our country. Please, even if you have never donated before, donate something and spread this to everyone you know.

.

After what David gave for us, can you do nothing? Please help this Marine, and thank him for what he did for every one of us. This is the kind of man we need in the U.S. Congress.

.

www.davidwhedrick.com

.

–Britany Welles

.

http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:6h7yGBqq6l0J:www.resistnet.com/xn/detail/2600775:Topic:2139742+A+U.S.+Marine+Needs+Our+Help&cd=3&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us&client=firefox-a

This kind of thing is pathetic on so many levels.

There is absolutely NOTHING to suggest that ANY of this kind of babble is true.

So, the cat is now out of the bag.

Time to come clean, David. This kind of Stolen Valor crap is sickening. And when you sold out your supporters by going to work for Herrera several months ago, imagine how much more effective this information would have been if I had figured out how to get it all back then.

Cross posted at Jaime Herrera Watch.
.

>A quiz for David Hedrick.

>.

Unfortunately, the records request took somewhat longer then I had anticipated, but as my source told me… it was worth the wait.

I have a 12 page extract from David Hedrick’s Marine Corps personnel file.

Much has been said of the allegations by Hedrick that his record is classified.

It isn’t.

Hedrick enlisted out of Tampa on October 7, 1997 for a 4 year enlistment and was discharged on April 4, 2001.

He earned a good conduct medal, a Sea Service Deployment Ribbon, a certificate of appreciation and an Expert Rifle Badge.

Hedrick was an 0311, Rifleman. He served in that capacity for 2 years and 11 months.

His records make no mention of any schooling or MOS of 0317 (Sniper) or 0321,(Reconnaissance Man). Hedrick was in Okinawa from June 3, 1999, to January 12, 2000.

He “participated in Urban Warrior Advanced Warfighting Experiment” in San Francisco with a “Special Purpose Marine Air Ground Task Force” for 2 weeks in March of 99.

That is the totality of the entries on the NAVMC Form 118/Combat History-Expeditions-Award Record (1070)

This is a solid, if unspectacular, record. There is no explanation for the early discharge (Some 6 months).

It is a record of service to this country to be proud of. But it is not the record Hedrick has mentioned… and it’s certainly not the record his supporters frequently cited.

For example:

J Says:

June 24, 2010 at 3:18 pm

This time you have been caught miss-stating the facts Lew. There is only one place with Marine pictures of Hedrick on the web. This video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BA0HrviTNBo&feature=fvw

Granted, you can’t see him well in the picture on the rope, but you can in many of the others. You took that reference from this video while clearly misleading everyone. Are you being completely forthright Lew?

Also, I found quite a bit about Hedrick’s “questionable military history” today after talking to a Marine who served with him in the same unit.When Hedrick is asked what he did in the Marines, he always says the same thing.

“I was a grunt in a HELO unit”

Hedrick was in fact a grunt in a HELO unit, albeit an extremely modest grunt.

Hedrick was also a Combat Water Safety Swimmer. This is the highest swim rating in the USMC with less that 1% making the cut. I found out you have to be a WSQ (permanent qualification) just to try out. In Hedrick’s class, of the approximately 100 or less WSQ’s on Pendleton, about 50 tried out and only 12 got into the class. Of that 12, only 5 graduated. Hedrick was among them.

I didn’t know that, did you?

Hedrick maintained a 1st class PFT throughout his time in the Corps, (Physical Fitness Test) the highest rating.

I didn’t know that, did you?

Hedrick was an expert rifleman, again the highest rating. As the best shot in his platoon, Hedrick was selected for and graduated from Designated Marksman training, which is a type of sniper school.

I didn’t know that, did you?

Hedrick was selected for and competed in Super Squad. This is a huge honor and is essentially the Marine Corps version of the Army’s Ranger challenge.

I didn’t know that, did you?

After serving overseas where he was part of a live mission (more about that later) he turned to the U.S. and joined Recon. This is Marine Corps Special Forces.

I didn’t know that, did you?

The fact is, how could a braggart who is “claiming to have done something that he did not do” for political gain, achieve all of this and most of his closest volunteers don’t even know about it? That doesn’t make sense at all does it Lew?

As for Hedrick’s involvement in a mission overseas, I am collecting information to corroborate the story I was just told by a Marine that was there with him. So far, it is nearly bullet proof. You might want to get an apology ready for this one.

Take a close look at the video above. Rumor has it that the island in the background of the picture where Hedrick is clearly shown on the deck of the USS Belleau Wood (The only LH3 in the Pacific at the time), is a little hotspot in Indonesia called East Timor. Hmmmmm, Hedrick as an 0311 (infantry), on the USS Belleau Wood, in late 1999, with an Island in the background that looks an awful lot like East Timor, where the 31st MEU, of which Hedrick was a part at the time, was conducting a live humanitarian operation as part of INTERFET, where according to Bill Clinton there were NO combat troops. Not a single one, I tell you. Clinton said the Navy was there to “feed the distressed people of East Timor”. For those who are wondering, 0311’s don’t show up to make you breakfast.

Of course, one must ask the question, what ship delivered the first round of support to East Timor where militias from the Muslim, Communist, West of the island were murdering and terrorizing the locals who had the audacity to demand independence, democratic representation and freedom?

That’s right,… It was the USS Belleau Wood.

What was the mission of the 31st MEU in Indonesia? Supporting INTERFET troops with supplies and logistics delivered primarily be helicopter because of the lack of fixed wing landing positions on the East side of the beautiful island of Timor.

What does Hedrick tell everyone he did in the Marines again?

“I was a grunt in a HELO unit”

Don’t worry; I will have much more after I check on a few things and it only gets better from here.

No. It only gets worse. Much worse.

There is nothing in the record to substantiate much of any of this beyond basic infantry training and a brief deployment in Okinawa. No mention of swimming of any kind. No mention of his PFT score. He never attended “Designated Marksman” training, which likely doesn’t exist, and certainly not as any kind of “sniper school.”

There is no mention of any “Super Squad.” Ranger Challenge is an ROTC competition, not to be confused with the “Best Ranger” competition, where 2 man teams, from Army-wide entries, are tested under extreme conditions. “Squads” do not Rangers make.

Hedrick shows as serving as a “recon Marine” for just under 5 months, but neither qualified for the MOS nor did he attend the Recon school (As a graduate of the Army Recon School at Ft. Know, with the MOS (it was 11D back in 72; it’s 19D now, as I understand it.) to prove it, I’m sensative to that kind of thing.

To confuse such an assignment with a non-existent thing called “Marine Corps Special Forces” is, well, just something of a joke.

Calling the deployment story “nearly bullet proof” when there is essentially nothing to back it up is an example of the very thing “J” denies:

The fact is, how could a braggart who is “claiming to have done something that he did not do” for political gain, achieve all of this and most of his closest volunteers don’t even know about it? That doesn’t make sense at all does it Lew?

You’re right. It doesn’t. So the quiz question is this: why did he appear to do it?

This is an entry put up by somebody named Britany Welles, who apparently lives in Camas.

A U.S. Marine Needs Our Help

• Posted by Welles on April 9, 2010 at 3:36am in General, Uncategorized Town Hall
• View Discussions

At an August town hall, a Marine named David Hedrick stood for our freedom. You will recognize him from this youtube video that was played all over the world, including Fox News, Limbaugh, Hannity and the rest.

.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_rRE5UK6NQU

.

We all know Hedrick is a Tea Party Patriot, but there is much about him that you may not know.

Years ago, Marine Cpl David W. Hedrick, found himself serving on foreign shores. As a special forces sniper, with his spotter injured and unable to take the field, Hedrick could have stayed in the rear, but he refused. Instead, he ventured into enemy territory alone, and took up an over-watch position to protect a platoon of Marines on patrol.

.

Soon, an enemy sniper and his twenty some comrades bearing AK47s appeared within spiting distance of Hedrick’s location. The enemy took up positions to ambush the approaching squad of Marines. No one in his right mind would have challenged that number of men alone. Most would have snuck away or sat quietly, but not Hedrick.

.

Instead he fired his weapon taking out the enemy sniper and his spotter. Then Hedrick turned his weapon on the remainder of the AK47 wielding terrorists firing into them until his weapon was empty. While reloading, Hedrick was hit by explosives causing the disability and scars he caries to this day. Despite being hit by shrapnel, bloody and outnumbered, Cpl Hedrick continued to fight until the squad he had saved reached his position.

.

How do I know this story? My husband is one of the Marines Hedrick saved that day and my little girls have since been born as a testament to his courage.

.

David Hedrick is a real American Hero and he needs our help. He is now running for U.S. Congress. While he has more conservative grass roots volunteers than everyone else in the race, he will not be purchased by special interests and has refused their money. To remain competitive, Hedrick must raise $100,000 by May 1st from people like us. If he does not reach this goal, he can not afford to compete. We must not let this happen to someone who has given so much for our country. Please, even if you have never donated before, donate something and spread this to everyone you know.

.

After what David gave for us, can you do nothing? Please help this Marine, and thank him for what he did for every one of us. This is the kind of man we need in the U.S. Congress.

.

www.davidwhedrick.com

.

-Britany Welles

.

http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:6h7yGBqq6l0J:www.resistnet.com/xn/detail/2600775:Topic:2139742+A+U.S.+Marine+Needs+Our+Help&cd=3&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us&client=firefox-a

This kind of thing is pathetic on so many levels.



There is absolutely NOTHING to suggest that ANY of this kind of babble is true.

So, the cat is now out of the bag.

Time to come clean, David. This kind of Stolen Valor crap is sickening. And when you sold out your supporters by going to work for Herrera several months ago, imagine how much more effective this information would have been if I had figured out how to get it all back then.

Cross posted at Jaime Herrera Watch.

.

>Well, the Columbian gets it half right: they endorse Castillo…

>

.

… and then leave out Heck.

The also endorse Ridgefield Barbie… which is a decision totally without merit, given her utter vacuous positions, lack of knowledge, experience and vision.

For the primary, the top two candidates, by far, are Castillo and Heck. Babs has nothing to offer except to be a mouthpiece for McMorris… and do we need east side representation here on the west side?

The Columbian accurately wrote:

Castillo entered the race early, months before Baird retired, and wasted no time attacking both the incumbent and the Obama administration. His cut-spending, promote-the-private-sector platform is imbued with bedrock GOP principles, but he also proffers innovative ideas. For example, as reported in a recent Columbian story, he wants to replace the federal income tax with a flat tax and ultimately a national sales tax. His residence in Olympia will not diminish his eagerness to represent Clark County, he insists.

In writing about about Castillo’s positions, the paper left out his experience: a Veteran, a sub cabinet official with the Bush Administration, a former chief of staff to state House Republican Leader (and Castillo endorser) Richard DeBolt who worked with both Castillo and Herrera, a businessman and a financial advisor who holds a Master’s Degree.

And in writing about McMorris’s positions (ooops, I mean Herrera’s positions) They left out her INexperience: not a Veteran, poured coffee as a low-level staffer for McMorris, spent a few weeks as an intern for a couple of people; lied about her few-week job raising money for Bush as if she had anything of substance to do with it, and no mention of her sell out to the democrats with her vote to strip out the last $229 million from the state emergency fund.

Wow. Leaving that out is kind of bizarre in an endorsement where they write:

We’re concerned with whether Heck would be able to rein in spending, especially on the salaries, pensions and benefits of governmental workers.

So. The Columbian is “concerned” about Heck’s ability (or, presumably, desire) to “rein in spending.”

Then they ignore Bab’s record of wasteful spending, combined with her comment that she couldn’t find any reason to criticize Brian Baird, who voted for hundreds of billions in wasteful spending?

How…. bizarre. She has already shown herself capable of wasting hundreds of millions; and can’t find fault with the guy she wants to replace, who voted to waste hundreds of BILLIONS, and they believe Herrera CAN or WILL “rein in spending?”

Utterly bizarre.

Cross posted at Jaime Herrera Watch.

>Recently, I was asked: "If Herrera wins the primary, are you going to let up on her?"

>.
Not only no, but hell no.

Folks, I believe there is a place for partisan politics. But as individuals, we must find the line between blind obedience to a party line and the suspension of common sense.

Party allegiance isn’t a death warrant. At the end of the day, if Ridgefield Barbie and her keepers manages to fool enough people into voting her in, either through to the general or, God forbid, into Congress, what exactly does that change?

Will she somehow magically become honorable? Will someone install a knowledge chip that will give her a clue about any of the major issues confronting us? Will she suddenly stop lying to us, exaggerating her background, her knowledge and suitability to actually be IN Congress? Will she suddenly cease her betrayal of Republican principles like she did while in the legislature, becoming a Guardian of the SEIU and while spending our money like a drunken sailor to help her leftist buddies? Can we be sure that she’ll betray us again, representing Cathy McMorris Rogers, who built her from the ground up, instead of us?

Will the mentality that allowed her to leave the floor of the House for hours at a time to fund raise; which allowed her to ditch us during session for yet another McMorris trough session in DC suddenly return to the level where her FIRST duty becomes us… instead of her?

No.

The despicable political cartoon that is Jaime Herrera will not mysteriously cease being the waste of skin she is. Concepts of honor and truth will remain as foreign to her if she wins as they are now.

There are no circumstances where I will not do all I legally can to keep her from winning any election.

Period. Ever.

For those wondering, I hope I’ve made my position clear.

Cross posted at Jaime Herrera Watch.
.

>The inevitable happens: fringe leftist Craig Pridemore is out.

>.

The following was posted on the ubiquitous Horse’s Ass:

Pridemore to withdraw from WA-03 congressional race

by Goldy, 06/01/2010, 11:55 AM

According to sources close to the campaign, Democratic state Sen. Craig Pridemore will announce today that he is withdrawing from the race to replace Rep. Brain Baird in Washington’s 3rd Congressional District, leaving fellow Democrat Denny Heck with a sure path to the November ballot.

With a slew of establishment endorsements and a $250,000 infusion of his own money, Heck became the early Democratic favorite, an advantage Pridemore, a strong, populist-minded campaigner, simply wasn’t able to overcome, especially as he continued to be locked up in an endless, special legislative session. Pridemore had intended to run an energetic, grassroots primary campaign, a strategy that depended on strong support from labor organizations like the Washington State Labor Council and the Washington Education Association. And while he recently secured the endorsement of the former, word leaked over the weekend that the WEA would be endorsing Heck, largely based on his fundraising lead and frontrunner status. (I don’t think teachers have a bigger champion in the Senate than Pridemore.)

Pridemore’s withdrawal is of course a blow to progressives like me who saw him as the better choice of the two Dems. Whether it’s a blow to Republicans, who wouldn’t have minded a Democratic cat fight in the primary, remains to be seen. In this anti-incumbency year, my gut told me that the more populist Pridemore had the better shot in November than the more establishment Heck.

But here’s hoping the Democratic establishment proves me wrong.

The delusion of the left never ceases to amuse:

With a slew of establishment endorsements and a $250,000 infusion of his own money, Heck became the early Democratic favorite, an advantage Pridemore, a strong, populist-minded campaigner, simply wasn’t able to overcome, especially as he continued to be locked up in an endless, special legislative session.

It really sucks to find out how unpopular and out of anything approaching the mainstream your politics are, as Pridemore has so brilliantly done. Using session is a pathetic excuse, given that dozens of state representatives around the country have managed to get past their “endless special legislative sessions” to campaign.



Even Ridgefield Barbie managed to pull it off, though it was a combination of McMorris arranging for her cash and her decision to ditch us and leave the floor for hours at a time to fundraise during session that made the difference.

But here’s a clue for the clueless left: Your message sucks. The people don’t want to hear it. And that’s why Pridemore’s campaign was an abysmal failure.

Blaming it on session is just pathetic. A competent campaign with a solid message would have found a way to make it happen.

Pridemore could not. The end. Stop making excuses for him.

Fellow fringe-left nutters will, of course, go into mourning but the democrat brand is so screwed up and in such horrific shape that no democrat stands much of a chance to win in the 3rd this time around anyway, let along an uber fringe-leftist nutter like Pridemore.

As I have been pointing out, his exit was inevitable to any political pragmatist.

Hopefully, he’ll get the message and just continue to represent the Soviet Socialist Republic of Vancouver.



The irony in all of this is Pridemore’s statement:

A factor in his decision, he said, was that he learned over the weekend that the Washington Education Association will endorse Heck. “That was a critical part of our base,” he said.

It was the WEA ditching of then Sen. Don Carlson, a Republican retired teacher who had carried the WEA’s water like Gunga Din to endorse Pridemore because he was a democrat and if the democrats won, they would take control of the Senate; that likely got Pridemore elected (it was a very close election) and now, they’ve bailed on Pridemore because even they realize that a fringer can’t win in the 03.

Pridemore has discovered the joys of union loyalty… a hard-learned lesson to be sure. But it’s a lesson most not cemented to the left already knew.

.

>The startling comparison between Castillo and Herrera

>.
Lew Waters put up a great comparison piece between David Castillo and Jaime Herrera.

The piece shows the startling differences in education, public and private sector experience and very importantly, Herrera’s complete and total lack of any experience or clue concerning Defense, Security or Military issues, the kind of experience that would otherwise matter to sane people.

I would love to see why, when comparing Castillo to Herrera, ANYONE could possibly support the empty suit that is Jaime Herrera.

Go on over and check it out, and thanks to Lew for doing this public service of providing this comparison.

Cross posted at Jaime Herrera Watch.
.

>How the SEIU sees their "white union members." And Herrera supported THESE people?

>.
SEIU Union Chief Gerry Hudson: My White Union Members “so f***ing rabidly racist”…

VIDEO (**** WARNING: HARSH LANGUAGE ****):

Tends to speak for itself, don’t it?

Major H/T to Orbusmax.

Cross posted at Jaime Herrera Watch.
.

>Lew Waters: Whisper Campaign Against David Castillo Continues (Link fixed)

>.
Lew nails it far better than I. The cult-like following, unjustified by talent, accomplishment, capability, vision or grasp of the issues surrounding Jaime Herrera remains the biggest political mystery of my professional life.

There’s no there, there. And otherwise sane people have lost their collective minds over this girl for reasons that quite simply escape me.

Please read Lew’s take on this if you haven’t already. It’s a sad commentary on a segment of political support that is shameful in every respect.

Cross posted at Jaime Herrera Watch.
.

>The "intellectual dishonesty" and cowardice of a Herrera supporter: Keath Huff fails to address the issues.

>.

Yesterday, Keath Huff posted this gobbledygook in defense of Ridgefield Barbie. Why he lied about the bill and who did what is any one’s guess, but he did. and I will use this space to point out each and every falsehood Huff relies on in his slavish efforts to defend the indefensible:

Memo: Jaime Herrera and SEIU

KeathHuff

Below is the memo from Casey Bowman, the campaign manager for Jaime Herrera, explaining the “Pro Union Vote” Herrera was supposed to have taken.

I certainly understand her vote, trying to get fair reimbursement for small business owners who are getting short changed by the State of Washington. It is not unlike the poor reimbursement rates that doctors receive from Medicare and other “state run” health insurance. In the end the average consumer pays more to cover the real cost of care.

So, here we have a situation with a bill that does this:

“Collective bargaining” by it’s very nature means higher costs. That means that both the taxpayer, who will have to pay the higher subsidies the bill mentions and the customers who are not subsidized will have to do what?

Pay.

More.

Money.

Any time SEIU gets involved in a bill, it’s never in the taxpayer’s best interests. It’s only in THEIR best interests, no matter how much it costs US.

And Herrera didn’t know this when she co-sponsored and voted for this monstrosity? And Huff doesn’t know it now?

Of course he does. But at the end of the day, it just doesn’t matter to a member of the Herrera Herd, who’s slavish devotion to this empty suit is simply unfathomable.

More than a few Conservatives voted for this bill in the House and Senate, they tried to right a wrong, which is more than some have

done.

This is a flat out lie. First of all, there wasn’t a vote on this bill in the Senate. There was a vote on the Senate version, a bill that, among others, was amended to kill by making it a study. THAT is the bill voted on in the Senate. (Of course, we’ve already been through Herrera’s efforts to throw Benton under the bus for voting “for this bill,” which he had not done.

In the House, the vote on this bill was 62 to 35

“More than a few conservative in the House?” Let’s see.

Conservatives like Jim Moeller voted for it. Another conservative, Mary Lou Dickerson voted for it. Is this part of the “few” Huff was talking about? No?

Except, those two; of the many democrats who voted for this bill, are hardly “conservative.” They are, in fact, as far to the left as the political spectrum allows in the United States today.

In fact, I could only find TWO Republicans who voted for this garbage heap in the House: Herrera and Skip Priest. Herrera’s seat mate, Ed Orcutt?

Why, he was a “no.”

So…. where’s this “more than a few” thing Huff was babbling about?

This was NOT a great bill, but that is often the case we you are trying to get something done while a bunch of liberals have the majority. We can fix that by electing more Conservatives like Jaime Herrera!

With “conservatives” like Herrera, why not just vote leftist democrat and be done with it?

Calling this “not a great bill” is like calling the Titanic a “small boating accident.”

As always Jaime is a candidate with a voting record, you can see what she has done and will do for yourself. Her voting record can be found here: washingtonvotes.org

Huff babbles this one a great deal. The only trouble with this garbage is that what washingtonvotes.org records is what happened when the buttons are pushed. Unfortunately for those of us in the 18th, OUR “representative” was frequently gone, out fundraising for her congressional run and ditching us, her constituents.

So, yeah. There’s a voting record. And it certainly keeps track of the votes from the button in question. Unfortunately, it’s close to worthless here because Ridgefield Barbie has admitted that she’s had others vote in her place while she is gone. Here’s the whiny, sniveling little “Memo” in question:

From: Casey Bowman, Campaign Manager, Jaime Herrera for Congress

Memo: Jaime Herrera and SEIU

It won’t shock you to learn that there’s a false accusation being made in the race for Washington’s 3rd Congressional Seat, but you might be surprised at just how off base the claim is that Rep. Jaime Herrera is a big union supporter.

It might shock you to know that even Herrera refered to herself during the appointment process as a “friend to organized labor.”

Just exactly what was that supposed to mean?

I KNOW! I KNOW! It means she’ll co-sponsor and vote for SEIU-backed legislation!

In 2008 Jaime was endorsed by every major business group in Washington state, including the Association of Washington Business, NFIB, Independent Business Association of Washington, Washington Restaurant Association and others. She has never supported compulsory unionism and never will. She is a strong opponent of “card check” because she has seen the excesses of union leaders and is fully aware of the threats and intimidation that card check would inflict on workers.

HHHmmmmm….. I missed the part about any legislation in this state concerning card check, or any vote on that subject. Why mention it here, except to deflect from the issue at hand?

And had they known of Ridgefield Barbie’s SEIU affiliation, as they’ll know now, would they be so quick to endorse? I think not.

To prove the false claim that Jaime is a big union supporter, her detractors point to legislation, HB 1329, she supported involving child care centers. Their claim is that the legislation forced “compulsory” unionization of child care workers. That simply is not true.

So, was Herrera lying THEN when she called herself a “friend to organized labor?” Or is she lying NOW?

I dunno. That’s a toughie, given her bizarre co sponsorship and support of SEIU legislation.

What to think…. what to think….

Here are the facts:

Let me help you with that. “Here are the ‘facts'” SHOULD read: “Here are SOME of the ‘facts.’ We left out the ones we don’t like.”



Fact One. Jaime Herrera COSPONSORED THIS SEIU BILL.

Odd, isn’t it?

Neither Huff NOR Bowman included THAT fact.

I wonder why?

· Washington state reimburses child care centers for care of kids under the state’s sponsorship. Many of these business owners believe that they should receive a better reimbursement rate from the state for caring for the most vulnerable children.

Many others exercise their right to refuse children who cannot pay whatever they charge. It’s called “choice.”

What “choice” did Herrera give us? You know, the ones paying the bills?

It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that collective bargaining WILL make child care MORE EXPENSIVE.

So, if Herrera’s efforts had been successful (They weren’t, thankfully) the costs of daycare, along with the subsidies for day care that WE pay, would have gone up with the wages.

That means taxpayers would have to pay more for subsidizing day care, and those using NON-subsidized day care would be out of pocket more.

If those running day care centers don’t like the subsidized rate, they can always refuse the kids in question…. right?

· The bill allowed child care center owners and workers to choose to have SEIU represent the business in negotiating better reimbursement rates from the state.

Another flat out lie, since day care owners ALREADY HAD THAT ABILITY BY BECOMING UNION SHOPS.

Here’s the language from the bill summary:

“Solely for purposes of collective bargaining, child care center directors and workers are ‘public employees’. The directors and workers are employees who work on-site at licensed centers that have at least ONE SLOT filled by a child for whom they receive child care subsidies. as well as owners who work on-site at these centers.”

Do you see anything about “choice” in there? I don’t.

. The bill said nothing about unionizing the workforce. Child care enter workers wouldn’t pay union dues or fees and wouldn’t be forced to join a union, at any time. The bill was at the request of the small business owners of day care centers.

Which explained perfectly why so many of those day care centers were so opposed to this, right?

Those are the facts about this legislation. Again, Jaime has never supported compulsory unionism and never will. That is why she is such a fervent opponent of card check. If the facts don’t sound anything like the claims of those attacking Jaime and her voting record, then you should ask them why they are spreading these false claims.

OK… I’ll bite. Why ARE you spreading these “false claims?”

Under the bill in question day care centers with ONE CHILD getting state subsidies HAD to be represented by the SEIU.

Look. I’m always willing to be corrected… so feel free.

Just provide me with the language allowing day care centers with subsidized kids in them to opt out of this bill, and we can take the mandatory unionization off the table.

For a much more technical and complete recitation of all the lies this “memo” contains, I invite the reader to head on over to Lew Waters’ blog. He nails it.

In closing, what neither the “memo” OR Huff do is mention that Herrera COSPONSORED THE BILL. An oversight?

Hardly. Nor do they mention any of the carefully researched aspects covered by Lew on his blog.

There’s a reason these people don’t want you to know the WHOLE truth.

Cross posted at Jaime Herrera Watch.

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>Herrera’s support of SEIU begins to bite: Kool Aid drinking supporters are running scared.

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Jamie Herrera is a tool for the SEIU. In her “defense,” there’s a blog post that has a copy of some sort of nonsensical wimpy attempt to excuse or justify this quite indicative sell out that Ridgefield Barbie, the fake Republican running in the 3rd Congressional District, actually did something that made sense.

It didn’t.

Herrera cosponsored and voted for a bill that will unionize child care workers. For reasons I’ve already set forth, that is one of the worst imaginable ideas concerning the issue of day care, period. Further, she also VOTED AGAINST HER CAUCUS (The vote was 62 to 35 and most of those 35 were, well Republican… much like almost all of the 62 were, well, democrats)

But there is no excuse for cosponsoring a SEIU bill if you are to refer to yourself as a “conservative.”

That any conservative would even consider voting for this cardboard cutout in the face of her support of SEIU… the same group supported by such luminaries as Barack Obama; Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reid, Patty Murray, Barney Frank and the like supports… is admittedly a mystery to me.

Those people have something in common with our fake Republican. And what that “thing” is stands as a reason for her to never gain election to even the position of dog catcher.

Calling someone who would co-sponsor the SEIU bill a “conservative” is moronic. Deliberately failing to mention that little factoid as a part of your efforts to defend the indefensible?

That’s something else. That’s sordid. That’s cowardly. That’s fraud. And that’s what Herrera supporters who either agree with her actions or support them while THEY masquerade as “conservatives” could fairly be labeled.

As a conservative, just ask yourself this:

Would YOU co-sponsor and vote for a SEIU bill?

If you haven’t eaten yet, feel free to head on over to this bogus effort to defend this clueless empty suit’s support of SEIU.

Don’t do it if you have eaten, though. Because you won’t be able to keep it down.

As far as that goes, the one thing that amazes me the most is how many leftists votes Herrera takes that the Herrera Herd just goes along with.

The lie then, is in referring to this fake Republican as a “conservative.”

What both Huff and this Bowman guy deliberately left out is that not only did Herrera VOTE for this what you admit to be “not a GREAT bill;” the simple idiot co-sponsored it.

Co-sponsored, Huff. She co-sponsored the SEIU bill, and then voted for it.

Much like she voted for stripping out the $229,000,000 from the state’s emergency fund to help the democrats with their massive spending increases this session, “conservatives” would neither COSPONSOR A SEIU BILL, VOTE FOR A SEIU BILL, NOR VOTE AGAINST HER CAUCUS TO EMPTY OUT THE STATE RAINY DAY FUND.

I have to wonder: what leftist cause, bill or series of causes or bills would it take for the Herrera Herd to get that she’s as conservative as my cocker spaniel?

And by the way, Huff? Your constant whine about checking “her voting record” is even more proof that there is nothing this woman can do to get you to wake up:

What washingtonvotes.org HAS is a record of how her voting buttons were pushed. It doesn’t have a record of WHO PUSHED THEM the dozens of votes she MISSED VOTES so she could go out and fund raise.

I get that the SEIU thing is causing her problems. No true conservative would consider voting for a so-called Republican who not only voted for SEIU legislation, but COSPONSORED THE BILL.

And no amount of spin from you, or Bowman, or anyone else can make up for the fact that she sold us out to the SEIU here, just like she ditched us to go to a DC special interest fund raiser during session; and just like she voted to help the democrats rape us financially just a few short days ago.

NO other GOP candidate in this district would CONSIDER carrying the water for the SEIU. Her vote there makes her unfit to hold the office she has now, let alone go to congress to do anything but answer phones at a receptionist desk.

I’m just astounded that you people have, apparently, drank enough Kool Aid to fill an Olympic Swimming pool.

Unbelievable. If you people believe her to be a conservative, then I’m ashamed to call myself one.

Cross posted at Jaime Herrera Watch.
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