US Senate candidate Cal Cunningham’s campaign is harshly criticizing a fundraising letter sent out by Sen. Richard Burr (R-NC) that offers fictitious military ranks to anyone in exchange for a contribution to Burr’s re-election campaign.
The Cunningham campaign characterizes the Burr fundraising letter as showing “a blatant disregard for the sacrifice of members of the military, veterans and their families by purporting to sell military rank in exchange for campaign contributions.”
Major General (Ret.) Hubert Leonard, former Adjutant General of the National Guard and co-chairman of Veterans for Cunningham, called Burr’s letter “offensive” and stated that offering military ranks for campaign contributions “dishonors our men and women in uniform.”
“Unlike Cal Cunningham, Richard Burr hasn't served a day in the military,” Leonard said. “Maybe that's why he doesn’t understand that you don’t buy a military rank — you earn it.”
Cunningham, a Lexington lawyer, received the Bronze Star for his military service as a Judge Advocate General during Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Burr’s campaign entitled the fundraising letter a “2009 National Defense Survey” to purportedly gauge his supporters’ opinions on the Obama administration’s handling of national security. A member of the Senate Armed Services and Select Intelligence committees, Burr states that he’s shocked by the President’s “efforts to reduce our military budget by more than $1.3 trillion over the next decade.” Burr also places blame for the 9/11 terrorist attacks on former President Bill Clinton.
“The deaths of more than 3,000 Americans on Sept. 11, 2001 came as a result of Clinton’s weaknesses as President and our poor state of military preparedness,” Burr states. “That’s why I’ve decided to launch a new fight to restore our nation’s military superiority and protect our country from attack.”
Burr then asks his supporters to enlist in the “Burr Brigade” and offers fictitious military ranks in exchange for monetary contributions. Burr offers to confer the rank of “Private” for a $25 contribution; “Corporal” for a $50 contribution; “Sergeant” for a $100 contribution; “Captain” for a $250 contribution; “Major” for a $500 contribution; “Lt. Colonel” for a $1,000 contribution; and “Full Colonel” for a $2,000 contribution.
Cunningham’s campaign pointed out that Burr’s voting record in Congress contradicts his pro-military statements in the fundraising letter. Burr voted against pay raises and body armor for US troops in a Dec. 19 Senate vote. Cunningham’s campaign also points out that Burr voted against the GI Bill in 2008; voted against a bill that would have protected soldiers’ salaries when taking leaves of absence; voted against supplying additional troops sent to Iraq in 2007; and voted against funding for armored vehicles and military equipment repairs.
Morgan Jackson, a campaign consultant for Cunningham, issued the press release Tuesday afternoon.
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