GOP vice presidential candidate J.D. Vance Sunday, while speaking out about his questions concerning Democrat contender Tim Walz's military record, reminded CNN's interviewer that the network had featured an interview the night with Walz's superior officer about the controversy over his retirement.
"On CNN last night, one of the people who was actually in charge of him [said] they knew they were going to deploy to Iraq in fall of 2004," the Ohio Republican senator told CNN's Dana Bash on "State of the Union," after she said Walz retired two months before his unit got the paperwork about the deployment.
"He knew he was going to Iraq," Vance said. "He decided to quit to retire, whatever word you want to use, because he wanted to run for Congress. He said that when he decided to retire, he did not know that he was going to Iraq. That is another untruth."
Walz's former superior officer, ex-Minnesota National Guard Command Sgt. Maj. Doug Julin, said that he and his commander at the first Brigade 34th Infantry Division combat team, got the notification about the deployment in the fall of 2004, several months before Walz retired, reports The Washington Examiner.
"We were informed that we would be alerted to go to Iraq within the next upcoming year, start preparing your team, getting your team together and let’s get the process in play,” Julin said.
Vance insisted Sunday that he's not criticizing Walz's military service itself, as the governor was in the National Guard for 24 years.
"I'm criticizing the dishonesty spoken in favor and for the purpose of political benefit," said Vance.
The matter also raises concerns about Democrat nominee Kamala Harris' judgment, he said.
"Kamala Harris is in great health. I'm sure she's going to be president if she wins for four or maybe even eight years," Vance said. "Why did Kamala Harris choose a person who has lied about their military service? I think that is a serious lapse in judgment. And I don't want to hear from a campaign spokesperson of Kamala Harris. I want to hear Kamala Harris herself address what I just said."
Walz also was shown on video saying he carried a gun in war, with the Harris campaign admitting Saturday that the vice presidential nominee "misspoke."
"I served in the U.S. Marine Corps," Vance said. "You know this. There are a lot of things that I'm proud about. I've never lied about what I did or overstated it because it would be beneficial to mean winning an election.
"I think that's what Tim Walz did. That's what I was criticizing and yes, I do think it's scandalous behavior."