Rep. Baldasaro Should Step Down After Troubling Comments About Those Serving the Nationby: JeffBallardforSenateWed Oct 05, 2011 at 20:44:52 PM EDT |
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(NH GOP continues to make NH look like a Backwater State. - promoted by Mike Hoefer) Concord, N.H. - Afghanistan War Veteran and state Senate District three candidate Jeff Ballard released the following statement after Rep. Al Baldasaro remarked that a member of the military "disgusted" him and thought it was "great" when the audience boo-ed the soldier because of his debate question about the repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell policy. "Rep. Baldasaro should have immediately apologized for his shameful comments after the Republican Presidential Debate. As a veteran and a New Hampshire citizen, I found his applauding the booing of an Iraq War Veteran appalling. Rep. Baldasaro may have freedom of speech, but it exists because Stephen Hill, the veteran he called a 'disgrace,' risked his own life to protect it. It is no excuse for his inappropriate comments." Rep. Baldasaro uses his credentials as a retired Marine Corps First Sargent to speak as a subject matter expert on Military Affairs. With such statements he is bringing discredit on our Military's Senior Non-Commissioned Officers whose role is not to make policy, but rather to enforce it and maintain order within the ranks. It is also the Senior NCO's role to protect soldiers like SGT Hill who is exercising his lawful right as an American Soldier. Rep Baldasaro's statements undermine his fellow Senior NCO's who are trying to maintain good order and military readiness during our ongoing hostilities in Afghanistan and contingency operations around the globe. "Republican House Speaker Bill O'Brien should immediately call for him to resign and remove him as Chair of the Veterans Affairs Committee in the State House. Rep. Baldasaro is clearly incapable of being an advocate for all veterans. Republican State Senate Majority Leader Jeb Bradley should also call on Rep. Baldasaro to resign; he should make clear that this kind of language is not the official position of New Hampshire Republican Party." Please visit my Facebook page to be kept up to date on the campaign http://www.facebook.com/pages/... |