Is this happening in Mo.? Using uniformed marines at GOP events.

[MissMarple]

I'm just wondering where else this is going on. Old Marilyn didn't think this one up all on her own.

Just when you think they really can't be THAT stupid and conniving. The marine is in potential trouble, not the congress critter. Remember when the general did this? Was his name Boikin or something? He spoke at a church in uniform promoting his beliefs.

I found this at www.coloradopols.com

"A story making the rounds among liberal bloggers that originated at Talking Points Memo wonders whether a law was broken when Rep. Marilyn Musgrave introduced Marine Sgt. Brandon Forsyth at the Larimer County GOP Lincoln Day Dinner."


Apparently it is against the law for a member of the military to appear at a partisan function. The purpose of the law -- to separate the military from political matters -- is sound, so should this appearance be taken seriously as a "crime?"


Here is a link to their source at Josh Marshall's Talking Points.
http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/007805.php

"I've heard from a number of active duty and retired members of the military, including a number of JAG lawyers, and unless there's something very different about Rep. Marilyn Musgrave (R-CO) event in Colorado than the description of it that appeared in her local paper, it clearly violated the law.

There's another little detail one retired JAG officer brings up, however.

The uniformed member of the military who appears at such an event can be court-martialed for the violation. It's not some technicality in UCMJ terms. But there's no law against a politician or party leader putting them up to it or facilitating it. So there's no risk for them.

So Musgrave and whomever else organized the event is putting this guy's career on the line as well as encouraging this misconduct for their own partisan gain."


And to a reference on it at www.MetroDenverGreens.org

"This is an example of the unethical and manipulative behavior of the radical Republicans here in Colorado.

At the right is a photograph from the Larimer County Lincoln Day Dinner held last week. And here's the link to more photos from the event. (I'm also curious about what looks like uniformed law enforcement officers participating in the fundraising dinner -- 'Album 3'.)"

[loyalsister]

1. Not just the GOP here

check this out...
Members of both parties have signed on.

HB1381
Repeals the laws prohibiting political activity or fund raising by Kansas City police officers

HB 1381

Sponsor: Brown (30)

This bill repeals several provisions of law which currently prohibit any Kansas City police officer from:

(1) Belonging to a committee of a political party;

(2) Soliciting any person to vote for or against any candidate;

(3) Making or soliciting contributions for any kind of political activity; or

(4) Allowing any solicitation of contributions to take place on police department property.
http://www.house.state.mo.us/bills061/bills/HB1381.htm

Should we be concerned that both parties want uniforms at their political events?