In the wake of the outrage from veterans all across the country, and the VFW-PAC's refusal to rescind their inexplicable endorsement, the PAC is being dissolved. The outrage stemmed from the fact that in every single case where the VFW-PAC had the chance to endorse a veteran over an incumbent, the PAC endorsed the incumbent. The net result was 76% of the bloated incumbency - hundreds of lawyers and career politicians - were gloating over an undeserved endorsement from the most prominent veteran's PAC in the country; this despite Democrat diatribes against our troops (Alan Grayson and just about every other Democrat out there), votes against the military missions like the surge (Mike McIntyre), support of and for radical anti-military groups like Code Pink (Nancy Pelosi, Barbara Boxer, Sheila Jackson Lee), and frequent pronouncements of failure of our war efforts (Harry Reid).
The tragedy was that when the VFW-PAC had the opportunity to support combat vets in Congress and the Senate, they passed. What could be more useful to veteran's causes and issues than to elect veterans to office? Apparently, the VFW-PAC did not find that useful and decided to stick with the entrenched incumbency - one of the most failed and distrusted Congresses in recent history.
Horrified by the malfeasance of such a list, countless veterans across the country vehemently protested the endorsements, and the leadership asked the PAC to rescind. They refused. They are now being defunded and dissolved for failing in their responsibilities to their membership, and rightly so.
Please read this editorial in the Washington Times, where our race is mentioned as one of the most egregious oversights: The VFW's Election Betrayal.
The PAC board made some egregious oversights. It endorsed incumbent Democrat Ron Klein for Florida's 22nd district over Iraq war veteran and retired Army Lt. Col. Allen West, who's third-generation military. Incumbent Democrat Mike McIntyre was chosen over former Marine and active VFW member Ilario Pantano for North Carolina's 7th district. In North Carolina's 11th district, the PAC gave the nod to Democratic congressman and failed Washington Redskin Heath Shuler rather than to challenger Jeff Miller, one of the principal organizers of the Honor Flights network, which has brought more than 35,000 veterans of World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War to Washington at no cost to visit the national memorials erected in their honor. It's difficult to see how passing over all of these men advances the VFW's mission or the interests of veterans in general.
Ilario's Sep 21 response to the inexplicable VFW-PAC endorsements: Pantano Statement on VFW PAC Endorsements
See the Commander-In-Chief's memorandum below.
