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How Kerry whistleblower suffered for truth [Swiftboat vet Steve Gardner]
Chicago Sun-Times ^ | November 29, 2004 | BY MARY LANEY

Posted on 11/29/2004 4:30:45 AM PST by johnny7

This is the story of a military veteran whistleblower. He spoke out against someone he thought was dangerous for the nation, talked to local newspapers, and appeared on talk shows. In return, he was vilified by reporters, threatened by a political operative, fired by his company, and now he's broke.

His name is Steve Gardner. He's also known as "The 10th Brother," as in Band of Brothers. He's one of two members of Sen. John Kerry's 12 Vietnam swift boat crew members who refused to stand with Kerry at the Democratic Convention. The other man remained silent. "They said I had a political agenda. I had no and have no political agenda whatsoever. I saw John Kerry on television saying he was running for the Democratic nomination for president, and I knew I couldn't ever see him as commander in chief -- not after what I saw in Vietnam, not after the lies I heard him tell about what he says he did and what he says others did."

Gardner explains he was sitting at home in Clover, S.C., when he first saw Kerry on television. It was before the primary races. For 35 years, Gardner says, he hadn't talked about his tour of duty in Vietnam. But when he saw Kerry talking about running, he says he got up, called the newspaper in town, called radio stations and "talked to anyone I could about why this man should never be president." Eventually he got a call from Adm. Roy Huffman, who had been in charge of the coastal division in Vietnam, reunited with other swift boat veterans, and the rest is, as they say, history.

Gardner's story is one that bears telling. He volunteered for the Navy, enlisting on his 18th birthday in February 1966. After training, he was shipped to Vietnam and served for two years as a gunner in the swift boat division. His superior, for four months, was none other than Lt. j.g. John F. Kerry. "I had confrontations with him there. He nearly got us rammed by the VC one night because he wasn't watching the helm. I heard the motor coming close, turned on the spotlight, and the boat was only 90 feet away, coming fast. The VC was aiming an AK47 at us. I shot him out of the boat. We pulled a woman and a baby off the boat. Kerry wrote it up that we captured two VC and killed four more on the beach. None of that was true. The only thing true on Kerry's report was the date. The woman was catatonic and wouldn't call her baby VC and there were no VC on the beach. If we had seen that report before Kerry sent it up the chain of command, he would have been court-martialed and never allowed to run for office. And that's just the San Pan incident. There was much more. He is a self-aggrandizing bold-faced liar. I believe he caused the extension of that war."

Gardner told this story and others to radio stations and he wrote a piece for the local paper. Then, he says, he received a phone call from John Hurley, the veterans organizer for Kerry's campaign. Hurley, Gardner says, asked him to come out for Kerry. He told Hurley to leave him alone and that he'd never be for Kerry. It was then Gardner says, he was threatened with, "You better watch your step. We can look into your finances." Next, Gardner said he received a call from Douglas Brinkley, the author of Tour of Duty: John Kerry and the Vietnam War. Brinkley told Gardner he was calling only to "fact check" the book -- which was already in print. "I told him that the guy in the book is not the same guy I served with. I told him Kerry was a coward. He would patrol the middle of the river. The canals were dangerous. He wouldn't go there unless he had another boat pushing him."

Days later, Brinkley called again, warning Gardner to expect some calls. It seems Brinkley had used the "fact checking" conversation to write an inflammatory article about Gardner for Time.com. The article, implying that Gardner was politically motivated, appeared under the headline "The 10th Brother." Twenty-four hours later, Gardner got an e-mail from his company, Millennium Information Services, informing him that his services would no longer be necessary. He was laid off in an e-mail -- by the same man who only days before had congratulated him for his exemplary work in a territory which covered North and South Carolina. The e-mail stated that his position was being eliminated. Since then, he's seen the company advertising for his old position. Gardner doesn't have the money to sue to get the job back. "I'm broke. I've been hurt every way I can be hurt. I have no money in the bank but am doing little bits here and there to pay the bills," he said. All the millions of dollars raised by Gardner and his fellow Swift Boat Veterans for Truth, and all the proceeds from John O'Neill's book, Unfit for Command, go to families of veterans, POWs and MIAs.

And, even though Gardner is broke and jobless for speaking out, the husband and father of three says he'd do it all over again. He says it wasn't for politics. It was for America.

   


TOPICS: Front Page News; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections; US: South Carolina
KEYWORDS: brinkley; dirtyrats; dirtytricks; filthyrats; kerry; kerrylies; lurch; mediabias; rats; stevegardner; swiftboat; swiftboatveterans; swiftvets; whistleblower
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To: mcgiver38

See post #200 for contact info re: donations.


261 posted on 11/30/2004 2:28:12 PM PST by JLO
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To: JLO

You know you can make one post to multiple recipients, right?


262 posted on 11/30/2004 2:37:03 PM PST by Terabitten (Live as a bastion of freedom and democracy in the midst of the heart of darkness.)
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To: anniegetyourgun
Things are being handled behind the scenes as we type - but thanks for your offer! So many of us want to help....this guy deserves so much better.

Annie, great job you're doing. I'm wondering if you or anyone else is thinking what I'm thinking. John O'Neill's law firm is legendary. I seems logical that he'd step up to the plate to help with legal council for his swift boat brother in need, wouldn't you?
263 posted on 11/30/2004 2:57:20 PM PST by demkicker (I'm Ra th er sick of Dan)
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To: demkicker
I really didn't do anything - the credit goes to JimRob and others behind the scenes.

Yes, you would think he could get the assistance, and I imagine that is also being pursued.

264 posted on 11/30/2004 3:08:26 PM PST by anniegetyourgun
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To: RottiBiz

Same here - I want to send Gardner a check. He is an American hero. Please ping me.


265 posted on 11/30/2004 3:14:27 PM PST by oldtimer
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To: Tragically Single

Yup, I do - I was trying for more exposure for folks who read FR by 'newest' posts. Don't know if it helped or not, LOL.


266 posted on 11/30/2004 3:16:03 PM PST by JLO
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To: johnny7

tag me on that ping list. Im sure I can give some as well.

thanks


267 posted on 11/30/2004 3:30:31 PM PST by ezo4
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To: oldtimer; Valin

According to Valin's very informative post below, Steve Gardners mailing address is:

P.O. Box 908; Clover, SC 29710

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1291119/posts?page=18#18


268 posted on 11/30/2004 4:26:46 PM PST by RottiBiz
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To: bunches

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/1291336/posts?page=1

go there that's Mr. Gardners help thread.


269 posted on 11/30/2004 4:30:57 PM PST by Tempest (Click on my name for a long list of press contacts)
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To: JLO
Thanks for the ping.

I'll get something in the mail in the AM.

270 posted on 11/30/2004 5:47:28 PM PST by Cold Heat (What are fears but voices awry?Whispering harm where harm is not and deluding the unwary. Wordsworth)
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To: 68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub
A Christmas greeting on the way. GMs have a way for dealing with BS. I like that.

Thanks, Tonk!

271 posted on 11/30/2004 7:45:40 PM PST by BIGLOOK (I once opposed keelhauling but have recently come to my senses.)
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To: JLO

Bump!


272 posted on 11/30/2004 7:47:24 PM PST by Alamo-Girl
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To: JLO

Thank you.


273 posted on 11/30/2004 8:04:43 PM PST by Valin (Out Of My Mind; Back In Five Minutes)
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To: 68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub

bttt


274 posted on 12/01/2004 2:34:12 AM PST by lainde
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To: kcvl
Open Secrets shows John Pietrzak, president of Millennium Information Services, gave $500 to Carol Moseley-Braun in 1997, with earlier amounts to Tom Harkin and Dan Rostenkowski. No money to Republicans.

I thought his name was Steve Pietrzak. At least, that's what Millennium's self-serving statement says.

275 posted on 12/01/2004 9:45:04 AM PST by TBP
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To: TBP; kcvl

I re-checked Millennium's statement. It can be found at http://www.millinfo.com/pr/Millennium%20Response%20to%20Sun%20Times%20Article.pdf

It is signed by "Steve Pietrzak, President and CEO, Millennium Information Services."


276 posted on 12/01/2004 9:57:38 AM PST by TBP
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To: johnny7

bump


277 posted on 12/03/2004 10:49:04 AM PST by Triple (All forms of socialism deny individuals the right to the fruits of their labor)
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To: johnny7

bump


278 posted on 12/03/2004 10:49:04 AM PST by Triple (All forms of socialism deny individuals the right to the fruits of their labor)
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To: johnny7

bump


279 posted on 12/03/2004 10:49:04 AM PST by Triple (All forms of socialism deny individuals the right to the fruits of their labor)
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To: Triple

Bump to the top


280 posted on 12/16/2004 8:50:38 AM PST by Harvuskong
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