PRESS RELEASE Contact: press@congressionalintegrity.org
For Immediate Release
Date: March 3, 2023
Watch the full briefing here
Washington, DC – Today, Common Defense Political Director Naveed Shah, U.S. Navy veteran and Common Defense Organizer Camille Breaux, Government Accountability Project’s Senior Counsel & Director of its Democracy Protection Initiative, Dana Gold, and Congressional Integrity Project Senior Advisor Leslie Dach, joined a press call hosted by the Congressional Integrity Project.
The virtual press conference, which follows Rep. James Comer’s appearance at CPAC, exposed Comer for his disgusting attack on President Biden’s deceased son. Comer and his MAGA allies will stop at nothing to hurt President Biden and Democrats in an effort to gain more power for themselves. In the past week, Comer attacked the legacy of a deceased military veteran, called a White House spokesman a “little weenie guy,” and whined about Congressional Integrity Project and others holding him accountable. This is not the mark of a serious or responsible Member of Congress.
Meanwhile, just last night, shocking new reports dropped exposing the so-called FBI “whistleblowers.” These individuals, touted by Jim Jordan for months as justification for his Weaponization of Government subcommittee, have proven to be nothing more than partisan actors who supported violence and the January 6th attack on our country and were paid by a Trump ally.
“It’s not hard to see where his disrespect and denigration of his service comes from. [Rep. Comer] may pay lip service to veterans, as unfortunately many of our other elected officials do. But when it comes down to it he doesn’t actually support or respect us, and that is unconscionable for me as a veteran and as a leader of a grassroots movement. Does he have the right judgment that we need from a leader like that?” said Common Defense Political Director Naveed Shah. “To hear Representative Comer come on and draw any sort of disparagement on Major Biden’s service, or his record, is disgusting. We’re respectfully demanding that he apologize on behalf of all our veterans and military members.”
“I proudly enlisted and swore an oath quite a few times and served for 20 years. And I proudly serve alongside some of the best people, people who sacrificed a lot and the name of our country. This is why it pains me so much to hear a fellow service member, Beau Biden, being mocked away by Representative Comer and using his position to exploit veterans,” said U.S. Navy veteran and Common Defense Organizer Camille Breaux. “Our elected officials are using us as political pawns. Representative Comer should be ashamed of himself and he should apologize for what he said. But I will go as far as to question whether he is the right person to be a leader in serving on an important committee such as this.”
“This committee launched this hearing based on disclosures that may not meet the standard for what constitutes that protected whistleblowing. It’s a disservice to all legitimate whistleblowers who have come before and may come in the future,” said Government Accountability Project’s Senior Counsel & Director of its Democracy Protection Initiative, Dana Gold. “Being paid to blow the whistle is not something that is recognized in the federal law, let alone with payment comes from those with clear political motives. It’s a new low to weaponize this invaluable source of truth, and we are deeply concerned that what we’re seeing is the deliberate undermining of truth and democracy by those who have been clear about a partisan agenda.”
“By now it should be clear to everyone that Comer and Jordan lack all credibility and are incapable of oversight. All they care about is damaging President Biden and Democrats so they can further the MAGA agenda, but it seems that, so far, the more they try, the more they fail,” said Leslie Dach, senior advisor from Congressional Integrity Project. “They condone violence and the attack on our country on January 6. Just when you think they can’t go any lower, they do. Just when you think they can’t undermine their credibility any further, they do. There appears to be always room for another clown car on the MAGA train.”
Watch the full briefing here.
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