Posted on 08/21/2004 8:19:14 PM PDT by PhatHead
In one of the most-ignored stories surrounding the Swift Boat Vets flap, the head of "Veterans for Kerry" is himself a former Vietnam war protester, who has known Kerry since 1971, and worked on each of his campaigns since 1984.
"Veterans for Kerry" was started by, and is a wholly-owned subsidiary of, Kerry for President. It really isn't an organization at all, but the name of the Kerry campaign's outreach program to veterans, and it's head, picked by John Kerry, was indeed a veteran, but he first met Kerry when they were both war protesters.
The head of the group, John Hurley, a semi-retired Wellesley lawyer, works full-time for the Kerry campaign, and has worked on Kerry's previous campaigns dating back to at least 1984, by his own account. He also marched in the John Kerry/VVAW-organized "Dewey Canyon III" in 1971. (The medal-tossing protest.) Read for yourself:
http://www.drredwood.com/interviews/hurley.shtml
Hurley also has reportedly made calls to try to strong-arm people into changing their recollections of Kerry's VVAW past (such as his presence at the meeting discussing the plot to assassinate Senators):
http://daily.nysun.com/Repository/getFiles.asp?Style=OliveXLib:ArticleToMail&Type=text/html&Path=NYS/2004/03/22&ID=Ar00106
He even posted this note searching for one of Kerry's crew in November, 1996 - remember this when they suggest that Kerry's this "Band of Brothers" reassembled on their own:
http://www.vietvet.org/navy005.htm
In case it's purged later, here's what it says:
==========
Trying to locate: Delbert "Del" Sandusky
Branch of Service: Navy
Unit was: swift boats
Where served: the Delta
When served: 1969
Message is: Trying to locate Delbert Sandusky for reunion of Swift Boat 94.
Call 617-235-2287
Please contact: John Hurley
Mailing address: 78 Longfellow Rd
City, State, Zip: Wellesley, MA 02181
Or send email to John Hurley using this automatic email form BQI@AOL.com
===========
It doesn't say, "come work for John Kerry" - it says "trying to locate... for reunion." Why would an Army vet be trying organize a reunion with a Navy guy he'd never met? Obviously, this was a political recruitment - and a dishonest one.
The Swift Boat Veterans for Truth get grilled about whether they've ever voted for a republican, attacked for their contributors, and treated like stealth political operatives, yet every talk show Hurley has appeared on, from hannity, to Hardball to Scarborough - gives a free pass to the guy who actually *is* a political operative.
John Hurley is a longtime Democrat activist and John Kerry supporter. He is not part of any sort of spontaneously formed veterans group in support of Kerry, and it is very dishonest to allow him to present himself as anything other than what he is. Beyond that, his first meeting with Kerry was not in the service, but in the anti-war movement - a "Band of Brothers" with whom Kerry's strongest loyalties, it would seem, still lie.
ALSO WHY is he allowed to be the EXPERT in the media on what happened on SWIFT boats when he wasn't even in the NAVY, let alone on Swift Boats???
Change the title for fellow freepers, please.
According to this article hurley was a member of vvaw. Half way down the page it states hurley being a former vvaw member.
http://www.vietnamveteransagainstjohnkerry.com/kerry_kan_plot2.htm
The Star cited the national director of Veterans for Kerry, a former VVAW member, John Hurley, as saying: “I think he is confusing the St. Louis and Kansas City meetings.”
bttt
Here is a little bit more on hurley. I went to vvaw and there was a link to this article.
http://www.interventionmag.com/cms/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=741
This is the same articel cited in the original post:
http://www.drredwood.com/interviews/hurley.shtml
I found that one, but it was such a passing reference I didn't feel comfortable stating it with certainty. I suspect it is true - why else would you march in protest with these guys?
Bunch of damn commies!
Musgrave is the man he called and tried to pressure into changing his opinion that Kerry was at the meeting in which the assassination of government officials was discussed...
Pardue looked into charges made by Hurley that he had seen war crimes committed while a member of the 69th Engineer Battalion in Vietnam, as one of Kerry's VVAW shills. Pardue contacted a large number of former members of the Battalion and discovered not one instance of such crimes. He even wrote to Brinkley with his evidence, and Brinkley admitted the story was wrong and promised to change it in the next edition of his book. Pardue tried to contact Hurley, but Hurley never called him back....
Time to put some hurt on Hurley......
I did send this info about Hurley directly to SWVT - you should, too!
Actually, the info on Pardue comes from "Unfit..." - I've a hunch they're way ahead of at least me on this.......
Here is the thread about Musgrave saying Hurley pressured him to change his story about Kerry being present at that meeting.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1102979/posts
Maybe, but they are not challenging Hurley when they are on shows with him - and neither are any of the hosts and I am damned sick and tired of it.
BTTT
Here's some more info for ya. :-)
As soon as I see his face, I change channels. I'd sooner watch grass grow!
These old pinko traitors simply can't be allowed to get in the White House. The fact that they might is depressing.
This country had better reject these dangerous a-holes.
Is this the same John Hurley?
http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/scripts/getcase.pl?court=us&vol=000&invol=U10260
John Hurley, Kerry Spokesman... anti-gay???
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