Facing attacks from a group of local veterans over his campaign’s ties to Gloria Steinem, Democratic congressional candidate Steve Harrison is choosing to stand by the famed women’s rights activist.
Steinem has endorsed and actively supported Harrison in his campaign to win a congressional seat representing parts of Brooklyn and Staten Island.
She was widely criticized last week for implying that John McCain’s experience as a prisoner of war is overrated. Steinem made the comments as she campaigned for Hillary Clinton, who she is also actively supporting. The Clinton campaign denounced her remarks.
In a letter dated March 5, a group of local veterans demand that Harrison not only denounce Steinem, but return the money he took in at a fund-raiser where she was on the host committee.
In response, Harrison released a public statement last night that that reads in part:
Here’s the letter in full:
As veterans of the United States Armed Forces, we are outraged that you have failed to repudiate the disgusting and despicable comments made this weekend by one of your top supporters and fundraisers, Gloria Steinem. While we recognize that you are beholden to Ms.Steinem because she served on the Host Committee for your political fundraiser last week and has endorsed your candidacy for Congress, it offers insight into your character that you would choose to remain silent in light of her disgraceful attack on Senator John McCain’s military experience. Indeed, it is shameful that you would allow the military record and service of a true American hero to be mocked – a record that virtually all Americans, Democrats and Republicans alike, agree represents the very best of our nation.
In contrast to your own decision not to condemn Ms. Steinem’s mean-spirited and offensive comments, even Senator Hillary Clinton had the decency to distance herself from the statement and also pay tribute to Senator McCain’s military service. It speaks to your lack of leadership that you are unwilling to stand up to the radical left-wing special interests who fund and support your candidacy – and are complicit by your silence in the tarring of a decorated war hero.
While it would be easy for you to condemn Ms. Steinem’s statements in response to this letter, the fact is that only action on your part would send a clear and convincing message that you do not support her outrageous attack on Senator McCain and, by extension, all of America’s POW/MIAs.
Therefore, we believe the money you raised through Ms. Steinem’s participation on the Host Committee of your recent fundraiser is tainted and we further believe, in the name of decency, you should return that money. We believe it is morally reprehensible for you to use tainted money to wage a campaign for Congress that was raised by an individual who mocked Senator’s McCain’s imprisonment and torture at the hands of the North Vietnamese. It would be an insult to all United States veterans.
We anxiously await your response.
Sincerely,
Gallo, Russell, Staff Sergeant, U.S. Army, Operation Iraqi Freedom
Garcia, Ricardo, Sergeant, U.S. Army, Operation Iraqi Freedom
DeMarco, Al, U.S. Navy- Viet Nam War
Capasso, Pat, U.S. Army, WWII, Past Post Commander- American Legion
Lugo, Onix, Sergeant, U.S. Army, Operation Iraqi Freedom
And here’s the release from Harrison’s campaign:
Background
Statement
I honor and admire Gloria Steinem for her leadership in the struggle to give women their full rights as Americans. In that leadership she promoted not only women’s rights but contributed to the larger quest for equality and justice for all. Clearly, America is a better place because of Ms. Steinem’s contributions and courage. I do not read her comments as disparaging Senator McCain or his military service. She only states that his service alone is not enough for him to lead the nation.
Over the past two centuries millions of soldiers have fought and died defending American values ensconced in the Constitution. One of those values is the right of free speech. I will not cast Ms. Steinem aside for exercising that right concerning Senator McCain’s candidacy. After all, had Ms. Steinem not wielded free speech so deftly on behalf of women during the past four decades, it is likely that American woman would still be cast in the role of second class citizens. None of us should want that.
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