TPM hits Musgrave for using vets as campaign props

UPDATED!!!

Too bad I couldn't get a link out of it, but I'm really glad Talking Points Memo maestro Josh Marshall has picked up the Musgrave-politicizes-servicemen story:

Wait a second. Doesn't this break military regulations and probably several laws?

A few weeks ago we discussed the fact that the RNC was apparently working with the White House to send active duty members of the military in uniform to speak on behalf of the president's policies at Republican political events. That's against the law and military regulations. And for good reason since that's a quick ride to making the military -- or factions or individuals in the military -- tools of one or the other political party.

Now we seem to have an example in practice.

This is exactly what appears to have happened yesterday at a political event with Rep. Marilyn Musgrave (R-CO). This article in the Fort Collins Coloradoan shows a picture of Musgrave doing just that with the caption: "Marilyn Musgrave introduces Marine Sergeant Brandon Forsyth on Friday during the Larimer County GOP Lincoln Day Dinner."

A look at the picture shows pretty clearly that Forsyth was in uniform. Yet those regs linked above say clearly that military personnel can attend partisan events only as spectators and not in uniform. What am I missing?

Looks like Fair and Balanced Ranting is on the case too. And SoapBlox Colorado.

Sunday Morning Reading: Wow! This story is really getting picked up on blogs. The Agonist blasts the Republicans' conscious use of militarism in campaign politics. Un-American! They also have also given an URL for the above photo (just in case you need a host for your own site).

More at dKos, of course. Looks like they've gotten the Coloradoan to look into it.

5280 looks at the legal problem, not that the perception problem isn't bad enough.

And therein lies the rub: Military regulations prohibit members of the armed forces in active duty from attending partisan political events in uniform. Examples:

A member on active duty may….attend partisan and nonpartisan political meetings, rallies, or conventions as a spectator when not in uniform.

A member on active duty shall not…participate in partisan political management, campaigns, or conventions (unless attending a convention as a spectator when not in uniform).

The regulations even provide specific examples of allowed and prohibited conduct:

A member on active duty shall not ….Participate in partisan political management, campaigns, or conventions (except as a spectator when not in uniform), or make public speeches in the course thereof.

Marine Sergeant Brandon Forsyth sure looks like he’s wearing a military uniform, and he spoke at the partisan event.

More later, I'm sure . . . .

Josh Marshall has a fabulous follow-up post:

Here's a thought. Bob Novak pretty much put us on notice a couple weeks ago that the White House and the RNC were going to make a habit of using uniformed military personnel as props at Republican political rallies. This despite the fact that it is a plain violation of military regulations banning politicization of the armed forces.

Now, with Rep. Marilyn Musgrave's (R-CO) event in Colorado we seem to have the first actual example of it.

My gut tells me this isn't the only one. But in the nature of things the notations of it will show up only in local papers, well under the radar of the national press. So I'm curious whether folks have seen examples of similar things happening in their own districts. If you've seen examples, let us know.

Colorado Lib sends Marilyn his love.

Boy, Josh Marshall is really fired up about this. He writes, in another post:

The existence of this ban and the enforcement of it are hugely important both to good order and discipline within the military and to preserving our democratic republic. The military can't be made into an arm of one or the other political party. Nor can the executive be allowed to enlist
members of the armed forces, either individually or en masse, willingly or not, as soldiers in his domestic political battles.

This is about preserving a professional military and preserving our system of government. It's a big deal.

It's the difference between a healthy democracy and a banana republic. Keep it coming, Josh.