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I wrote a guest commentary on an issue that's been swept under the rug for 10 years-- @RepHartzler's role in the military-industrial complex.
She has used her position on HASC to procure funds for her donors--at the expense of military families.
https://www.kansascity.com/opinion/readers-opinion/guest-commentary/article246427270.html
She has used her position on HASC to procure funds for her donors--at the expense of military families.
https://www.kansascity.com/opinion/readers-opinion/guest-commentary/article246427270.html
The first time I saw my baby, he was sucking his thumb on an ultrasound. When the doctor stepped away, I nervously grabbed my phone to record my belly and the picture and---my doctor returned too quickly and I felt embarrassed.
I told her my husband was deployed + I cried.
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I told her my husband was deployed + I cried.
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I felt embarrassed and alone.
She grabbed my hand and my phone, turned the machine back on and we filmed the very first video my husband would see of his son.
I immediately sent it to him--half a world away.
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She grabbed my hand and my phone, turned the machine back on and we filmed the very first video my husband would see of his son.
I immediately sent it to him--half a world away.
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There is nothing easy about being a military family. It certainly is not easy for the service member, and the toll it takes on the spouses and children left at home wafts into conversation as whispers that are soon forgotten.
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My husband was sent to a forward location in Syria, where it was difficult to maintain a regular supply chain. He relied upon the assistance of local Kurdish allies for additional supplies like food.
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Not long after, pro-Syria militants, including Russian mercenaries, attacked American soldiers in the region, including my husbandâs unit. It was the deadliest battle in Syria at the time. Hundreds of pro-Syrian fighters were killed.
6/ https://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/24/world/middleeast/american-commandos-russian-mercenaries-syria.html
6/ https://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/24/world/middleeast/american-commandos-russian-mercenaries-syria.html
Because of the strength of the U.S.-Kurdish alliance, my husband returned home safely â and earlier than expected, just in time for the birth of our son, Jace.
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After my husbandâs return, we watched the President not only disregard guidance from career U.S. intelligence officials, but also shake the hand of Russian President Vladimir Putin â the man who had his militants attack American troops.
https://www.cnn.com/2018/07/16/politics/donald-trump-putin-helsinki-summit/index.html
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https://www.cnn.com/2018/07/16/politics/donald-trump-putin-helsinki-summit/index.html
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Then, the president indicated his preference to betray our Kurdish allies while embracing our enemy.
9/ https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/19/us/politics/trump-syria-turkey-troop-withdrawal.html
9/ https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/19/us/politics/trump-syria-turkey-troop-withdrawal.html
This reckless foreign policy made America less safe and it put my family in jeopardy. I immediately reached out to Rep. Vicky Hartzler. Her office ignored my family.
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It was difficult for me â a person who grew up in Ike Skeltonâs 4th Congressional District â to understand how the current holder of the seat could ignore our military family.
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One night, Hartzler posted on social media about Apache helicopters--the same my husband flies. The photo was taken in Arizona â odd because the Army doesn't fly Apaches in Arizona. But she wasnât visiting troops â she was visiting defense contractors.
https://twitter.com/RepHartzler/status/1117906431145988096?s=20
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https://twitter.com/RepHartzler/status/1117906431145988096?s=20
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Hartzler has a long, seldom-discussed history with bomb-makers. In 2011, when she went to DC as a freshman congresswoman, she joined the âLucky 13â fundraising group, made up of 13 freshman Republican representatives on the House Armed Services Committee.
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The Lucky 13 was organized by Rep. Buck McKeon, then-chair of the committee, who mentored the new members and introduced them to defense contractors. He hosted a Lucky 13 fundraiser for $5,000 a plate.
14/ https://pogoblog.typepad.com/pogo/2011/02/13-house-republican-freshmen-soliciting-defense-contractor-money.html
14/ https://pogoblog.typepad.com/pogo/2011/02/13-house-republican-freshmen-soliciting-defense-contractor-money.html
Less than a month after the event, Hartzler received thousands from Boeing and Lockheed Martin.
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After McKeon left Congress to work as a lobbyist, he continued funneling money to Hartzler and others. McKeon was later accused of paying off members of Congress w/ donations in exchange for authorized procurements.
16/ https://readsludge.com/2018/06/25/is-this-ex-congressman-using-his-leftover-campaign-funds-to-help-lobbying-clients/
16/ https://readsludge.com/2018/06/25/is-this-ex-congressman-using-his-leftover-campaign-funds-to-help-lobbying-clients/
Hartzler was one of the highest-ranking Republican members of the House Seapower and Projection Forces Subcommittee at that time. During its appropriations markup, her committee added a provision allowing the Navy to award contracts for Arleigh Burke-class destroyers.
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General Dynamics Bath Iron Works â McKeonâs client â received a $3.9 billion contract for the project. Hartzler received $3,000 from McKeon for her election that year and $5,000 from General Dynamics.
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https://www.navaltoday.com/2018/09/28/us-navy-awards-9-billion-contracts-for-arleigh-burke-class-destroyer-construction/
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https://www.navaltoday.com/2018/09/28/us-navy-awards-9-billion-contracts-for-arleigh-burke-class-destroyer-construction/
In the following year, on the eve of the 2020 National Defense Authorization Act appropriations markup, Hartzler hosted a $500 per plate fundraiser with defense contractors.
19/ https://www.rollcall.com/2019/06/10/rep-hartzler-to-host-500-per-person-event-for-defense-executives-on-eve-of-defense-markup/
19/ https://www.rollcall.com/2019/06/10/rep-hartzler-to-host-500-per-person-event-for-defense-executives-on-eve-of-defense-markup/
She later advocated for the F-35 on behalf of McKeonâs client, Lockheed Martin--it received a $35 billion dollar contract â the largest one ever.
And between McKeon and Lockheed Martin, Hartzler's received $10k this election cycle.
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https://www.cnbc.com/2019/10/29/lockheed-martin-costly-f-35-program-gets-biggest-pentagon-contract-yet.html
And between McKeon and Lockheed Martin, Hartzler's received $10k this election cycle.
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https://www.cnbc.com/2019/10/29/lockheed-martin-costly-f-35-program-gets-biggest-pentagon-contract-yet.html
This is the revolving door of the military-industrial complex. Hartzler isnât just a cog in the machineâshe fuels the entire engine.
She went to work for defense contractors 1 month after taking office + I literally had to run for Congress for her to give a damn about us.
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She went to work for defense contractors 1 month after taking office + I literally had to run for Congress for her to give a damn about us.
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Itâs been one year since we betrayed our Kurdish allies, creating a vacuum for Russian influence to thrive.
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/13/world/middleeast/kurds-syria-turkey-trump.html
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https://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/13/world/middleeast/kurds-syria-turkey-trump.html
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When my husband opened the video shot by my doctor â the very first time he saw our son with his own eyes â at that base in Syria, an American flag waved.
It was replaced with a Russian flag last year.
23/ https://www.cbsnews.com/news/russian-troops-take-command-of-us-airbase-kobani-northern-syria-2019-11-17/
It was replaced with a Russian flag last year.
23/ https://www.cbsnews.com/news/russian-troops-take-command-of-us-airbase-kobani-northern-syria-2019-11-17/
Now our son is 2 + my husband is deployed again.
This time, there is a bounty on his head that experts believe was a direct reaction to the Syrian air fight his unit engaged in the last time he was deployed.
24/ https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/26/us/politics/russia-afghanistan-bounties.html
This time, there is a bounty on his head that experts believe was a direct reaction to the Syrian air fight his unit engaged in the last time he was deployed.
24/ https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/26/us/politics/russia-afghanistan-bounties.html
While Vicky Hartzler is busy pocketing $2M in taxpayer-funded subsidies and $270k in donations from defense contractors, she's forgotten about all of us.
Politicians aren't coming to save our families.
Only the people, electing public servants, can do that.
LFG.
25/25
Politicians aren't coming to save our families.
Only the people, electing public servants, can do that.
LFG.
25/25
