Arizona congressman blasts ‘culture warrior’ Chief of Staff John Kelly

PHOENIX — U.S. Rep. Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.) blasted White House Chief of Staff John Kelly in an interview on Wednesday, calling the retired Marine general a traditionalist who has taken his new role by storm.

In an interview with Buzzfeed News, Gallego said Kelly has “always been a culture warrior since he took off the stars.”

“This is someone who openly lies about a congresswoman and then when confronted with his lies won’t apologize,” Gallego said, referring to Kelly’s comments on Rep. Frederica Wilson.

“When I was in the Marine Corps, if I had lied and didn’t have the integrity to own up to it I would have been dropped down in my rank. Kelly loves the cover and veneer of a general but won’t live the integrity of it,” he added.

Kelly has come under fire from Republicans and Democrats who have begun to question his credibility after he defended President Donald Trump last month in his public battle with the Florida congresswoman.

Wilson claimed the president made insensitive comments to the widow of a slain soldier during a phone call, shortly after her husband was reported dead.

At the time, Kelly said he was “stunned” by the reports and said he encouraged the president to give the same words of encouragement to the widow as Gen. Joseph Dunford gave to him when his own son was killed in Afghanistan.

“‘He was doing exactly what he wanted to do when he was killed. He knew what he was getting into by joining that 1 percent. He knew what the possibilities were because we were at war,'” Kelly said of Dunford’s advice.

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