WASHINGTON – Rep. Shelley Moore Capito’s office today dismissed the misleading smear campaign announced by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC).  The DCCC announced it would begin running radio attack ads against Rep. Capito in West Virginia next week that smear the congresswoman’s strong record of support for veterans.

"For professional politicians in Washington to accuse the daughter of a WWII Purple Heart veteran of not caring for our veterans is as cheap and reckless as it is absurd," said Jordan Stoick, spokesman for Rep. Capito.  "Whether it is her work on the Rural Veterans Caucus to increase access to quality care for veterans or her support of historic increases in veterans funding, Congresswoman Capito has a strong record of supporting West Virginia’s veterans."

Fact Check

Radio ad smear: "Congresswoman Capito voted against a fifteen hundred dollar bonus for troops in Iraq and Afghanistan."

Truth:  This refers to an amendment by Rep. Bart Stupak (D-MI) to the 2004 Emergency War Supplemental.  The amendment would have given the troops a $1,500 bonus by cutting funding from Iraq reconstruction, of which was necessary to help our men and women succeed.  The measure failed by the narrowest possible margin on a mostly party-line vote of 213-213 (House rules state a tie vote is defeated). 

The ad not only fails to mention that funds for the bonus would have come by cutting reconstruction funding, it fails to mention that Rep. John Murtha (D-PA), the ex-Marine that Democrats turn to as their war authority, joined Rep. Capito in opposing this amendment.

            Rep. Murtha: "I know we all want to help the troops, but we struggle all the time trying to make sure we balance out the money they make….  I would ask the Members to vote against this amendment, no matter how all of us would like to      see the troops get more money." –October 17, 2004

The ad also fails to mention that four weeks after the above vote in question, Rep. Capito supported the House Defense Authorization bill that included a 4.15 percent increase in pay for military personnel. 

Radio ad smear: “And Capito voted against giving all veterans their full disability and retirement benefits."

Truth: Rep. Capito has long been a supporter of providing veterans with full disability and retirement benefits, also known as concurrent receipt. Since arriving in Congress, Rep. Capito has consistently supported legislation granting full concurrent receipt to all affected veterans.  The congresswoman also supported legislation that is now public law that allows military retirees who are 50 percent or more disabled (plus all Purple Heart disabled veterans) to receive concurrent receipt of retired pay and disability compensation.

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