September 23, 2011

And Now About the Military Record...

Justin Katz

It looks like the next domino is falling for Rep. Dan Gordon (R, Portsmouth, Tiverton, Little Compton):

Military service records for a Rhode Island lawmaker who has said he sustained combat injuries in the 1991 Gulf War do not list a Purple Heart award or any Middle East deployments.

State Rep. Daniel Gordon's Marine Corps records, obtained by The Associated Press, list him as an aircraft technician who served from 1987 to 1991 in the U.S. and Japan. Gordon has said his leg was injured by shrapnel outside Baghdad.

This could be a paperwork mix-up, I suppose, but if so, the representative has really spectacularly bad luck.

Comments, although monitored, are not necessarily representative of the views Anchor Rising's contributors or approved by them. We reserve the right to delete or modify comments for any reason.

In my brief foray into politics, I definitely had people from 'my own party' looking into my history, including getting a BCI check, calls to people I worked with in the past, Google/Facebook searches, etc. Someone called the 'main office' at the scouts and verified that I was an Eagle Scout. That sort of stuff.

The way this is supposed to work is that YOUR OWN PARTY makes sure you're legit, then if they fail, your opponent gets to call them out on it. You're not supposed to be vetted after you're in office.

Posted by: mangeek at September 23, 2011 12:26 PM

I hope things have improved. I have relatives who declined Purple Hearts. One at Normandy because someone was walking around passing them out with "anybody want one?"

Posted by: Warrington Faust at September 23, 2011 1:37 PM

I'm sure it is a paperwork mess up. He was probably in the National Guard in Texas in his past.

Posted by: Davis Tyler at September 23, 2011 8:22 PM

When Dickie Blumenthal was shown to be lying for 20 years about serving in Vietnam Democrats stood up and stopped him from being seated in the Senate from Connecticut.
Didn't they?

Posted by: Tommy Cranston at September 23, 2011 8:36 PM

Mr Gordon should learn from Rep Bob Watson, and keep a supply of marijuana and cocaine on hand, so he can "self-medicate" in case of a shrapnel wound "flare-up"
(or an unexpected George Bush or Rush Limbaugh social visit)


Sammy in Arizona (107 degrees in the shade)

Posted by: Sammy at September 23, 2011 11:06 PM

It's real simple to produce a copy of one's DD214 which details all ribbons,medals,and decorations authorized.You can block out the SS#.
BTW I recall liberal Sen.Tom Harkin(D) of Iowa being caught lying about being a combat pilot in the military-he was a military pilot but never served in a combat zone.
Really hurt his career,didn't it?

Posted by: joe bernstein at September 24, 2011 12:25 AM

Joe, perhaps if tom Harkin had told that story to justify his 18 arrests, over four months in jail and accusations of attempted murder as Gordon has done, it would have gotten some more attention. This blog is showing an amazing level of hypocrisy right now. Justin the residents of Tiverton want to know what the TCC knew and if they continue to support Dan Gordon. The silence coming from the TCC is quite telling.

Posted by: eastbayguy at September 24, 2011 7:19 AM

EBG:

Being privy to behind-the-scenes discussions, I can tell you in absolute truth that the silence that you observe is NOT telling of anything. What is telling is your desire to make anonymous political attacks.

Posted by: Justin Katz at September 24, 2011 8:01 AM

"This blog is showing an amazing level of hypocrisy right now."

By posting the latest: that Rep Gordon's military record is now in question??? That's the opposite of hypocrisy.

Additionally, kindly note that this is the Anchor Rising blog, not the TCC blog.

Once again, Eastbayguy (and all fifteen names under which you have posted on this blog), your inexplicable hatred and anger have blinded you to the most rudimentary of facts.

Speaking of which, shall we review what seventy years of Democrat rule in this state have given us? Fifth highest state and local tax burden. Academic achievement in the bottom 20%. Roads and bridges near the bottom of the list. THE worst business climate in the country, naturally leading to a lousy economy and high unemployment.

Given all that - all of which was known before the election, unlike Rep Gordon's checkered past - why would Tiverton have voted for a Dem for District 71?

More importantly, why would they vote for one next year? See, that's the problem for you and the Democrat who will run for this seat next year. All the Republicans in the world with the worst pasts you can imagine don't change the damage and havoc that Democrat legislators, even with choir boy pasts, have inflicted on this state.

Posted by: Monique at September 24, 2011 8:02 AM

eastbayguy-Harkin used his made up combat history when he was testing the waters for a Presidential run-to be even-handed Pat Robertson also puffed up his Korean War service from liquor supply officer to combat leader.
The fakery comes from all quarters.
What's sad is that one of the politicians who was indisputably a hero in Vietnam,Bob Kerrey(D)of Nebraska,former Senator and Governor,was smeared right out of a presidential campaign by media scumbags who called him a war criminal for causing "collateral damage" during a night battle where his unit came under heavy fire.His treatment was shameful.
Lt.Calley was a war criminal;Bob Kerrey was a young officer trying his best under horrible criecumstances.
At least RI residents didn't have to doubt Bruce Sundlun's credentials-the old curmudgeon really was in some daring experiences in WW2.
Faking a war experience is sad and disgusting no matter who does it,although with a public official it is worse because of the trust involved.
I mean,who really cares what a loudmouth in a gin mill has to say?

Posted by: joe bernstein at September 24, 2011 8:45 AM

Justin many people on here post anonymously and that is fine so long as they bash unions and agree with your anti gay rhetoric . Monique I posted to you a while back that much more would come out about Dan Gordon and it has. For me this has little to do with politics and much more to do with knowing Dan as a person. He is truly a psychopath and Justin and the TCC backed him without any type of due diligence. The TCC and the PCC owe it to the voters to tell us why they supported him and do they still support him.

Posted by: Eastbayguy at September 24, 2011 11:31 AM

@EBG,
What due diligence are you referring to? Please tell us what exactly anyone that supported this guy was supposed to do.

Posted by: Max Diesel at September 24, 2011 12:26 PM

Max, Justin and the TCC needed only to ask a few question around town and check out this guys Facebook page during the campaign. One TCC member has even claimed on the patch to have been aware of his history. According to him he was the one that endorsed him or brought him to the groups attention.

Posted by: Eastbayguy at September 24, 2011 12:33 PM

Monique's coments are right on target. Eastbayguy and Democrate pundets blame the Tea party, TCC and PCC all the problems the unions,(state and Teachers)have caused. I would vote for anyone for state office that is not an democrat. Eastbatguy answer Monique's coments without the standard BS

Posted by: Clarence at September 24, 2011 8:11 PM

Monique's coments are right on target. Eastbayguy and Democrate pundets blame the Tea party, TCC and PCC all the problems the unions,(state and Teachers)have caused. I would vote for anyone for state office that is not an democrat. Eastbatguy answer Monique's coments without the standard BS

Posted by: Clarence at September 24, 2011 8:12 PM

When John Loughlin ran I voted for him. He seems to be an honest man. I just wish he had not stood for pics with this turd Gordon that you all seem so enamored of.

Posted by: Eastbayguy at September 24, 2011 8:24 PM

[Deleted what was arguably the ugliest comment ever left on Anchor Rising. What a creepy, disgusting person the commenter must be. All about the politics, right? --- JK]

Posted by: 02871guy at September 24, 2011 8:37 PM

Anyone detect Stuart stench on this thread?

Posted by: joe bernstein at September 24, 2011 10:04 PM

Holy Moses!

Posted by: Monique at September 24, 2011 10:06 PM

So last week I was advising Rep. Gordon to resign, as it was likely that more shoes were to drop.

And they have. Projo reports that he was an apartment-renting deadbeat who owes his landlord over 2 grand; AP and HuffPo report that his military records don't jive with his recollections of his service.

And all that I see out of this website are apologies/excuses: ...if the Rep's paperwork is wrong, he's very unlucky (Justin), and you can't vote for a Dem no matter how squeaky clean they are since they've run the state into the toilet (Monique).

It is pretty obvious by now that Rep. Gordon has really serious problems with the law and his perception of reality. Making excuses for him doesn't help him, and eastbayguy has a point: if you endorsed Rep. Gordon, why? And why won't you disavow him now? Rep. Gordon needs a good lawyer and a great therapist. And you guys just need to look in the mirror and ask yourself why you are still trying to enable Mr. Gordon.

Posted by: Bill O'Wrights at September 26, 2011 3:31 PM

Not sure who's enabling Gordon. I have more to say on the issue, but y'all might have noticed that Anchor Rising hasn't been awash in posts, lately, and with my limited time, other topics interest me more, most days.

Posted by: Justin Katz at September 26, 2011 6:46 PM

Justin,

thanks for responding, albeit briefly.

I understand that maintaining a blog is arduous. I look forward to further ruminations on Rep. Gordon from you and others. The point I was trying to make is that if his supporters continue to rally behind him, this is enabling him to continue.

Rep. Gordon needs to step aside for his own mental health and legal well-being.
He's hitting bottom but he doesn't know it yet.

Posted by: Bill O'Wrights at September 26, 2011 9:35 PM

I went to school with this creep. He is an arrogant redneck and needs to step-down.

Posted by: D-R Grad at September 26, 2011 11:17 PM
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