By Larry Kaifesh -
It's been reported that Tammy Duckworth will announce her run for Senate against Mark Kirk today. As a veteran of five combat tours to Iraq and Afghanistan, I respect Tammy Duckworth's service and sacrifice. God bless her! Additionally, I'm a huge supporter of veterans running for office.
However, right now our country is in a crisis. America is in dire need of truth and transparency from honest leaders and selfless servants. What we don't need right now are more politicians, manipulating the masses, serving themselves, their party, and the special interests they have become beholden to. So I ask, knowing what we know about Tammy Duckworth, is she able to give our country what it needs most right now? Is Tammy Duckworth fit to serve?
Duckworth claims to be an advocate for veterans. When Duckworth lost her first bid for Congress back in 2006, she was appointed by Rod Blagojevich to be the Director of the Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs. During her time there, she fired two whistleblowers that brought to light inappropriate conduct taking place within the Illinois VA. Instead of listening to them and addressing the issues, Duckworth fired both employees.
Currently, the two whistleblowers are suing her for wrongful termination and Duckworth still has not openly addressed the issue. For refusing to be truthful and transparent to the citizens of America and silencing whistleblowers addressing problems affecting our veterans, Duckworth is unfit to serve.
During the 2014 election cycle not one Veterans Group endorsed Duckworth. Medal of Honor recipient and hero, Allen Lynch, who knows Duckworth well said, "I'm very disappointed in Tammy Duckworth from the time she was appointed as the Director of the Illinois Veterans Affairs to the time she served as the Undersecretary in the Department of Veterans Affairs, to being a representative, running in a district that was gerrymandered specifically for her ... she has been hand carried all the way through this thing" Lynch went on to say, Duckworth told her staff, "I'm here until they move me to Washington," so she did nothing for the veterans.
Duckworth, with the help of this Administration, disingenuous campaign tactics, and a fawning media market was able to fool many people. However, for those who know her best, our veterans, they condemn her. For falsely stating her support of veterans throughout her political career, Duckworth is unfit to serve.
During an Oversight Committee hearing in September 2013 for the family members of those American heroes murdered during the Benghazi attack, over a dozen Democratic House members left the hearing before the families had a chance to speak. Duckworth was one of the members who disrespectfully left the hearing. For putting her party and partisan politics above those family members of the heroes that died in the Benghazi attack, Duckworth is unfit to serve.
It's now common knowledge after being reported by the Associated Press, this Administration is the least transparent in history. This is of great concern given that Duckworth has consistently proven to be in complete alignment with it's policy actions. Like her Administration counterparts, Duckworth has been opaque in her dealings with the American people.
During her town hall meetings she does not sit in front of her constituents, speak openly and honestly and then answer their questions. Instead, she sits behind a wall in the corner of the room where no one can see her. One by one each constituent is called up by her staff and allowed to go behind the wall to see Duckworth and ask their questions. Not unlike a confessional booth.
One constituent said it was reminiscent of the Wizard of Oz, where once you pull back the curtain, all you find is someone more committed to perpetuating an illusion than leading and solving problems for the constituents. For this lack of transparency and unwillingness to be open with her constituents, as well as, towing the party line for this failing Administration, Duckworth is unfit to serve.
Violent Islamic Fundamentalism is a real threat both here at home and abroad. Duckworth does not understand this threat or how to address it. In 2012, when Congressman Walsh, said that Islamic terrorists and their ideology had infiltrated the United States and that it had taken root in Chicago and the surrounding suburbs. Duckworth said that the claims made by Walsh showed, "why he is not fit to hold political office."
Congressman Walsh was spot on when he made his initial statement and he has repeatedly been proven right since. Just this past week, two Aurora men from the Illinois National Guard tried to join ISIS. For not understanding the threat from Violent Islamic Fundamentalists and putting politics ahead of truth as it pertains to national security and the safety of our citizens, Duckworth is unfit to serve.
When I ran against Duckworth in 2014, she said I was "unfit to serve" for quoting Dr. Ben Carson on the unvarnished truth regarding the Democrats policies of government dependence. Rather than defending the policies that she has so blindly and vehemently advocated for in Washington, Duckworth stated that, "anyone who holds such views is not fit to serve as a Member of Congress." For being so disingenuous to the American public, Duckworth is unfit to serve.
America is in trouble and more of the same, will give us more of the same. Duckworth is just another politician promoted by machine politics and a fawning media that blindly promotes an ideology that has never brought success. Now more than ever, we need honest leaders and selfless servants committed to improving the quality of life for its citizens, standing of the country and integrity of the Constitution! Duckworth fails as an honest leader and selfless servant and does not deliver what America needs, simply put, Duckworth is unfit to serve!
Yours in Truth and Transparency,
Larry Kaifesh
Larry Kaifesh is a Colonel in the United States Marine Corps Reserve who has studied this threat for over a decade, and gained invaluable knowledge through his five combat tours to Iraq and Afghanistan. Use of his military rank, job titles, and photographs in uniform does not imply endorsement by the Marine Corps, Department of the Navy or the Department of Defense.
