Arizona congressman: As a Marine, ‘I’m offended’ by Donald Trump
Jul 27, 2016, 4:56 PM | Updated: Jul 28, 2016, 11:25 am
(AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
PHOENIX — An Arizona congressman who served in the Marines said Wednesday he is “offended” by the way Donald Trump treats veterans.
Speaking at the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia, U.S. Rep. Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.) said he was put-off by Trump’s comments toward Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.).
Trump said McCain was a “war hero because he was captured. I like people who weren’t captured” last year.
“As a Marine, as an Arizonan, as an American, I am offended,” Gallego, who served in the Marines, said in his address.
Gallego continually hammered the Republican presidential nominee during his several-minute address.
“Patriotism, service and sacrifice, keeping your word” he said. “Those are the values of the United States Marine Corps. Those are American values. Those are not Donald Trump’s values.”
Gallego said Trump has used veterans to get out of a debate, lied about donating to them and Trump-owned businesses have fired reservists because of their time commitment to serve.
“One of my fellow Marines called Trump University a complete con,” Gallego said. “I’d say the same thing about Donald Trump himself.
“Donald Trump is a scam artist. He is trying to pull off the ultimate scam: Pretending he cares about veterans.”
The Arizona congressman spoke briefly about Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton, calling her the “real deal.”
“She fought for the post-9/11 G.I. Bill while in the Senate to send our veterans to college, she extended health insurance to America’s reservists and she has a real plan to combat veteran homelessness,” he said.