Posted on 10/05/2005 10:34:11 AM PDT by Miklos Szeles
Press Release Source: Vietnam Veterans Legacy Foundation
Former Vietnam POWs Sue John Kerry Wednesday October 5, 1:00 pm ET
PHILADELPHIA, Oct. 5 /PRNewswire/ -- Sen. John Kerry and a top DNC campaign official have been sued for conspiracy and defamation in Federal District Court in Philadelphia by the Vietnam Veterans Legacy Foundation (VVLF), which is led by a group of former Vietnam combat veterans, including several POWs, and the wife of a POW. The legal action comes just weeks after the group of highly decorated veterans, which includes a Medal of Honor recipient, was itself sued twice by Kerry campaign supporters who were once his fellow antiwar activists. All the lawsuits stem from last year's Presidential elections and Stolen Honor, a documentary released last September that examined the impact of Kerry's 1971 anti-war activities on hundreds of American POWs still being held in the notorious Hanoi Hilton prison camp.
The Kerry campaign mounted a major effort to prevent Stolen Honor from being aired last October after the Sinclair Broadcasting Company announced plans to show the film on its 62 stations nationally. Sinclair was sued, boycotted and harshly condemned by Kerry campaign officials who publicly threatened to have the TV cable company's FCC license revoked if Kerry was elected. That was followed by protests from 18 U.S. Democrat Senators who called for FCC and FEC investigations of Sinclair. Amid the furor, the documentary's producer, Carlton Sherwood, a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and thrice wounded Vietnam veteran, was sued for libel by a Kerry advisor and member of the Vietnam Veterans Against the War, an organization Kerry represented as national spokesman in the 1970's. That case is scheduled for a jury trial next year in Philadelphia's Court of Common Pleas.
Sinclair eventually withdrew its planned broadcast of the film and, under pressure from Kerry campaign supporters, theater showings were canceled.
The federal lawsuit, filed this week by Sherwood and the POWs, charge Kerry and DNC campaign coordinator Anthony Podesta of conspiring to discredit the documentary and defaming the film's producer for the purpose of preventing Stolen Honor from being broadcast or seen in theaters.
Stolen Honor focused on Kerry's 1971 testimony before the U.S. Senate's Foreign Relations Committee when he accused U.S. combat troops of committing atrocities and war crimes on a "day to day basis with the full awareness of officers at all levels of command." The film examined, through interviews with 17 POWs and three POWs wives, the consequences of those allegations on some 350 American POWs still held in North Vietnamese Communist prison camps.
Some of the POWs interviewed for the documentary charged Kerry with "treason" and "perjury," while others said his 1971 Senate testimony placed their lives in jeopardy, protracted the Vietnam War and extended their confinement for years. All the POWs accused Kerry and his followers of fabricating "war crimes" and providing aid and comfort to the enemy in time of war.
In recent weeks, the libel suit against Sherwood has been extended to name the VVLF and Newsmax as defendants. Another Kerry supporter and VVAW member has sued documentary producer Sherwood a second time for libel, also naming the VVLF and the Internet news company Newsmax as defendants.
Those libel suits were filed by Kenneth Campbell and Jon Bjornson, both long-time antiwar activists and members of the Vietnam Veterans Against the War (VVAW), who allege that Sherwood, the VVLF and Newsmax defamed them in the documentary when it questioned the credibility of those, including Sen. Kerry, who claimed to have participated in, or, been witnesses to "war crimes" they allege were committed routinely throughout the Vietnam War. Although neither man is identified in Stolen Honor, both claim they appear in 35 year-old pictures and film clips used in the film and allege their reputations were harmed as a result. Campbell was a volunteer and an advisor to the Kerry campaign last year. Bjornson also supported Kerry.
Documentation for these suits is available at VVLF.org.
All the POWs and the wife of a POW who hold leadership positions in the VVLF also appeared in Stolen Honor. The VVLF's chairman is Col. Bud Day, a POW Medal of Honor recipient and the Air Force's most highly decorated veteran.
"It's time the American people learned the truth about Vietnam and Vietnam veterans," Col. Day said, "not just the sorry portrait they've seen in the movies or read about from politically motivated propagandists. We served with honor."
The Vietnam Veterans Legacy Foundation (VVLF.org) is a 501(c)(3) public service corporation whose mission is to educate and inform the public about the Vietnam War, its events, its history, and the courageous men and women who sacrificed to serve their country in Vietnam.
This will be interesting to follow. Keeping fingers crossed for the Vets.
Vietnam Veterans ~ Bump!
John ONeill of Swift Boat Vets knows
that hanoi kerry is NOT done with his campaign.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1496625/posts
Oct 4th 2005, NOT 2004!
Q) Why are some "Move On FReepers" convinced they know more than John ONeill and other vets.
"...Like most of you, I believed our mission was over. We could all move on with our lives, return to our families and homes secure in the knowledge we had done the right thing for America, and for our childrens future.
Regrettably, that has not been the case for a distinguished group of Vietnam combat veterans who stood shoulder-to-shoulder with us during last years campaign. Their situation has become so critical that I felt compelled to break our long silence to inform you of this urgent matter..."
John ONeill
Houston, Texas
Q) Why do some "Move On FReepers" think they know more than Karl Rove?
Karl Rove knew, Nov. 7, 2004 , that hanoi kerry would try to run in '08
and knew Swift Boat Vet's would be called upon,
again, to serve our country.
Rove Credits Swiftvets With 'Energizing' Bush Vote (Thank You Karl Rove!)
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1345603/posts
Q) Why do some "Move On FReepers" think it is ok for hanoi kerry remain in the US Senate, even though they know he is there illegally, per
U.S. Constitution Amendment 14 Sec 3
http://www.law.cornell.edu/constitution/constitution.amendmentxiv.html
Q) "Move On FReepers" "swore" klintoon, hitlery, hanoi kerry, sanbdi ber(bur)glar, al bore, jane beno,
would be prosecuted for
pardongate, chinagate, the bribes in upstate NY in the 2000 NY Senate race, waco, etc, etc,
"when" the "time was right".
John Kerry, still trying to stick it to soldiers and his nation after all these years. He is the energizer bunny of traitors. Sorry, John, 2008 is out for you.
"Those libel suits were filed by Kenneth Campbell and Jon Bjornson, both long-time antiwar activists and members of the Vietnam Veterans Against the War (VVAW), who allege that Sherwood, the VVLF and Newsmax defamed them in the documentary when it questioned the credibility of those, including Sen. Kerry, who claimed to have participated in, or, been witnesses to "war crimes" they allege were committed routinely throughout the Vietnam War. Although neither man is identified in Stolen Honor, both claim they appear in 35 year-old pictures and film clips used in the film and allege their reputations were harmed as a result."
Oh my, I'm wetting my pants!
Thanks Tonk!
Let the games begin!
God Bless the Vets!
"John Kerry, still trying to stick it to soldiers and his nation after all these years."
You've got that right. I hope he burns in hell.
BTTT!!!!!!
Bump for the good guys!
Sue the SOB until the ketchup flows thick.
This was already posted here:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1496890/posts
and includes a link to the legal documents.
As an aside, I attended a recent ceremony for the Moving Wall during which a speaker read from a speech given by his father in the 80's. The speech basically concluded that the war was nothing but a political war and came very close to saying it was a total waste of lives. I found it offensive, to say the least, and I'm still wondering if I was the only one who felt that way.
BTTT
bump!
Photograph of John Kerry meeting with Comrade Do Muoi, General
Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam, in Vietnam, July 15-18,
1993. Photo taken in the War Remnants Museum (formerly the "War
Crimes Museum") in Saigon in May 2004.
Thanks Tonk, sent my donation in this morning. And I thought my tag line was getting stale.....ha!
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