Lawmaker Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) is pushing the Department of Veterans Affairs to revoke benefits from veterans who were at the January 6th U.S. Capitol riot.
Gallego served in the military himself, but claims those veterans are "not representative of the large population of American veterans.”
He says they deserve to be punished.
The request to withdraw the veterans' benefits was officially made in a letter to VA Secretary Denis McDonough.
“Many of the veterans and service members who attacked their own government actively and enthusiastically enjoy special benefits given to them by their fellow citizens,” Gallego stated.
“This situation is unjust. Any veteran or service member who stormed the Capitol on Jan. 6 forfeited their moral entitlement to privileged benefits at the expense of the people of the United States,” Gallego declared.
Gallego is also a member of the House Armed Services Committee.
Gallego asked McDonough to reach out to U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland to figure out all the veterans that took part in the Jan. 6 events.
Once identified, he wants those veterans’ benefits to be stripped.
NPR previously reported that approximately 20% of the 140 people who were charged with crimes in connection with the January 6 riots have a military background.
In the months since that report came out, more than 300 people have now been charged.
It boggles my mind how easily communist, er, democrats will seek to get even. The fact that no one has been charged with sedition makes this event a riot. That is NOT grounds for stealing the benefits the vets earned.
The vets fought to keep the citizens right to protest and they have the same rights as everybody else. This idiot Dem must be afraid that this was just the start of the people demonstrating against what this country is being led into by the unamerican Dems.
Typical Democommie. I dare him to stand in front of a wounded veteran and say that! Although he wouldn't mind telling that to a paraplegic as long as nobody else was there. And "Heels up" Harris wants to shut down VA and tell wounded and crippled veterans to "get a job." I have seen a printout of that one that would be a great target to throw darts at it (or use as a target if you have a printer.
THAT is a DISGRACE for that COMMUNIST crook to urge that from the VA!!! WHAT has he done for HIS country?? He most certainly has NOT risked his life in the defense of the country. He has NOT defended to very laws of the USA, the constitution of the USA, but rather has sided with foreign entities to USURP America! THAT is an ABSOLUTEY EGREGIOUS !
Why don't you take away the benefits from those morons who attended the Capita riot?