Jim Questions Brown-Waite's Flip Flop on Supporting the Troops
Democrat Jim Piccillo Questions Flip-Flop, Vows Not To Put Politics Before Our Soldiers
Land O' Lakes, FL -- In a stunning reversal, Rep. Ginny Brown-Waite broke her promise to America's soldiers and voted last week against $106 billion in funding for active duty troops fighting the War on Terror in Iraq and Afghanistan.
With no explanation Brown-Waite followed her party's leadership's orders to vote down H.R. 2346, emergency funding requested by the military for critical combat resources like body armor, medicine, fuel, ammunition, and food for soldiers serving in Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom. Supported by the American Legion, the bill also includes over $1 billion for the Defense Health Program, which provides health care to active duty and retired military personnel and their families.
Brown-Waite's "nay" on war funding breaks a promise she made in 2007, when she told the St. Pete Times, "I cannot in good conscience vote to deprive our soldiers of critical resources while they are in combat." Brown-Waite's own House website erroneously claims that she is "committed to providing the troops with all the resources they need to win the War on Terror and to protect our homeland." (See Attachment, "A Promise Broken")
In a letter released Thursday, Army veteran and Democratic candidate Jim Piccillo sharply criticized the Congresswoman's broken promise to soldiers.
"I would never vote against emergency funding for our soldiers' basic necessities," wrote Piccillo. "I would fight to ensure they get the resources they need. We must support our troops through our actions, not just our words."
A vociferous Iraq War supporter who in 2003 wanted to dig up the remains of American soldiers in France because of that country's attitudes toward the war, Rep. Brown-Waite has loudly criticized Democrats for voting against war funding during the Bush administration. In 2004, Brown-Waite attacked John Kerry for flip-flopping on war funding. In 2005, Brown-Waite accused politicians opposed to war funding of "voting against America's brave men and women fighting in distant lands." In 2006, Brown-Waite wrote that anti-war Democrats "support troops in word only" and "undermine the president."
"'I Support the Troops' doesn't come with the disclaimer, 'Only if the President is a Republican,'" wrote Jim Piccillo. "Putting politics before the well-being of our fighting soldiers and veterans is irresponsible and dangerous."
