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AB Leadership Thursday, Jul 14 2011

Washington Post: Allen criticized for voting against equipment for soldiers in Senate

Jul 14, 2011

On July 14, 2011,  the Washington Post reported:

“Former governor and senator George Allen was captured on video while campaigning in Franklin on Wednesday talking to a soldier’s father about the need to properly equip troops with body armor.

Allen, a Republican, said it was “deplorable” that the soldier’s family had to provide his own equipment, specifically gloves.

[…]

But American Bridge 21st Century, the Democratic-leaning group that has been tracking Allen while he is campaigning for the U.S. Senate next year, pointed out that the former senator voted at least twice against equipment for soldiers during his one term.

In 2003, Allen voted to table an amendment that would have spent $322 million on safety equipment for troops in Iraq and to table an amendment that appropriated more than $1 billion for equipment procurement for Iraq.

“George Allen is trying awfully hard to reinvent himself as he desperately tries to run from his abysmal record as a senator,’’ said Chris Harris, a spokesman for American Bridge. “Unfortunately for him, he can’t run from the facts. And the facts are clear: He voted against providing body armor to our troops as they were in harm’s way, and no amount of rhetoric can change that.’’


Published: Jul 14, 2011

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