News

GOP Rep. Duncan Hunter Proudly Admits To Taking Photo With Dead Combatant

Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-California) confirmed on Saturday that he posed for a photo with a dead enemy combatant while serving in the U.S. Marine Corps, claiming that said practice is common among American soldiers. Hunter, a veteran of three tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, was attempting to alleviate some of the pressure from Edward Gallagher, a Navy SEAL accused of war crimes, by making his acts seem more commonplace and less heinous.

This isn’t the first time that Rep. Hunter has been caught up in controversy. During his reelection campaign in November, the lawmaker was indicted on charges of federal corruption for misuse of campaign funds. Despite the charges, however, Hunter was able to claim a victory over his opponent, Ammar Campa-Najjar. Campa-Najjar, who plans to challenge Hunter again, released a statement from another veteran of the Iraq war, Chris Dalton, which condemned the actions of men like Gallagher and Hunter. In his statement, Dalton said that “American military tradition, American values, and the Uniform Code of Military Justice demand that we be better than the actions he spoke about from that stage.”

SLIDESHOW: TOP DEMOCRATS RUNNING FOR PRESIDENT IN 2020

Hunter’s actions have earned him increased ire from his fellow lawmakers, with Sen. Ben Cardin (D-Maryland) calling for the California representative to be charged with war crimes himself. Additionally, as a result of his comments, Hunter has been removed from all congressional committees. Hunter and his wife are still set to go to trial later this year for the charges of corruption, with their next court hearing on July 29.

Subscribe to our free weekly newsletter!

A week of political news in your in-box.
We find the news you need to know, so you don't have to.

Gallagher, who President Donald Trump is considering pardoning, has been accused by many of his fellow SEALs of committing such atrocities as stabbing a captive teenage ISIS fighter and taking a photo with his corpse, firing on innocent Iraqi civilians, and firing into crowds of noncombatants. His squadmates reported that Gallagher threatened to kill them if they reported him. The former SEAL is set to go to trial on June 10.

Daniel Knopf

Share
Published by
Daniel Knopf

Recent Posts

After Trump Administration Releases Thousands Of Files Related To MLK’s Assassination, The King Family Cries Foul

On Monday, the Trump Administration released thousands of files related to the assassination of Martin…

2 hours ago

Former Trump Lawyer Todd Blanche Interviews Ghislaine Maxwell About Epstein Case For Justice Dept., Raising Ethical Concerns

The Department of Justice interviewed Jeffrey Epstein’s former partner, Ghislaine Maxwell, on Thursday following a…

3 hours ago

Fed Chair Jerome Powell Corrects Trump On Fed Headquarters Renovation Costs During Tour

Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell corrected President Donald Trump on Thursday during a tour of…

5 hours ago

Homeland Security Sec. Kristi Noem Effectiveness During Texas Floods Questioned: ‘We Don’t Manage These Disasters’

At President Donald Trump's sixth Cabinet meeting held earlier this month, the room filled with…

1 day ago

Trump Administration Deports 5 Migrants To Small African Nation Of Eswatini – Where None Of Them Are From

The Trump Administration deported five migrants with criminal records to a small African country last…

1 day ago

Trump’s ‘Big, Beautiful Bill’ Will Increase Deficit By $3.4 Trillion & Kick 10 Million Off Health Insurance, CBO Finds

The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office's final estimate for the impact of President Donald Trump's "Big,…

1 day ago