If anything is uniform for the Democratic Party, it is undoubtedly using American heroes and everyday folks as political props.
Wednesday night, that uniform was on full display in the second day of the 2020 Democratic National Convention — right alongside the uniforms of two members of the United States Armed Forces.
The two service members appeared in the official Democratic nominating delegation from American Samoa during a national roll call vote to elevate former vice president Joe Biden as the 2020 Democratic presidential nominee.
Of course, as sharp eyes pointed out on social media just moments later, the display was a blatant violation of military regulations, which prohibits uniformed service members from engaging in political activity.
American Samoa casts their votes for @JoeBiden at the #DemConvention.
However, per DoD rules, all military members are prohibited from wearing military uniforms at political campaign events. pic.twitter.com/q6SFOCvNH9
— Washington Examiner (@dcexaminer) August 19, 2020
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According to an official 2019 statement from the Department of Defense, American service members are encouraged to engage politically — particularly in the act of voting.
They are, however, expressly prohibited by Directive 1344.10 from directly associating the U.S. Armed Forces with their own personal political activity.
“As a matter of long-standing policy, military service members and federal employees acting in their official capacity may not engage in activities that associate the DOD with any partisan political campaign or elections, candidate, cause or issue,” the Defense Department wrote.
Should the Democrats be ashamed of themselves for using U.S. service members as props?
“Under DOD Directive 1344.10, members of the armed forces who are on active duty are permitted to express their personal opinions on political candidates, make a monetary contribution to a campaign, sign a petition to place a candidate’s name on the ballot, and attend a political event as a spectator.
“Members on active duty may not participate in partisan activities such as soliciting or engaging in partisan fundraiser activities, serving as the sponsor of a partisan club, or speaking before a partisan gathering,” the department added.
“In addition, all military members, including National Guard and Reserve forces, are prohibited from wearing military uniforms at political campaign events.”
Statement from DOD on the troops appearing with American Samoa delegates at #DNCConvention: “All members of the Armed Forces … are prohibited from wearing military uniforms at political campaign or election events.” No further details on the troops involved here.
— Leo Shane III (@LeoShane) August 19, 2020
Military Times deputy editor Leo Shane III tweeted in light of the role call nomination vote that the Defense Department was able to confirm the men caught on video were found in violation of Directive 1344.10.
Of course, none of this prevented the Democrats responsible for this little stunt from placing the two service members in question at risk of on-the-job consequences and any other potential punishment that may come as a result.
Either blissfully unaware of military regulation and honor or entirely apathetic, the delegation trotted these two service members out like props.
In fact, forget “like props.”
These two men were claimed as mere props in the 2020 Democratic National Convention.
The U.S. Armed Forces should be steaming mad. The American people should be steaming mad. And every Republican accused in recent years of supposed violations of the nearly century-old and yet-to-be-successfully-prosecuted Hatch Act should be…
Well, you get the idea.
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