Chocola Caught Red Handed

Hello, I am Peter Smith and I’m pleased to be here today as a veteran and constituent of Indiana’s second district. First, I’d like to tell you who I am and why I’m here. I joined the NROTC program at Holy Cross College in 1957 in order to receive free tuition and books which the program entailed. In return, I promised to serve for four years as a naval officer. I served for two years on a destroyer out of Long Beach, CA, including a six month deployment to the West pacific where the ship patrolled the straits between China and Taiwan as a token U.S. deterrent against invasion. While on patrol we received the best equipment available for us to stay safe and do our job. John Brademas, Democratic congressman at the time, made the choice to support the young men and women in uniform from his district.
Republican congressman, Chris Chocola has made a different choice. On November 9, 2005, he voted against giving stiff penalties to defense contractors who intentionally overcharge the federal government for provision of goods and services in response to a major disaster, emergency, or military action. At a time when our soldiers’ lack of body armor was a national scandal, and most of us were worrying about the safety of our troops, Congressman Chocola’s attention was focused on letting war profiteers like Halliburton off the hook for overcharging our military and defrauding American taxpayers.
Over the years I have watched young men and women serve their country in the armed forces and then return to face lack of support, often cast aside once they’ve served their country. It’s the same story for veterans of the Gulf wars and Afghanistan. I find it particularly appalling that we cast aside our young people while war profiteers like Halliburton are making obscene profits by supplying overpriced equipment and services. It just isn’t right!
So like Monique, I’m here today because we need representatives who will stand up to war profiteers: I’m asking Rep. Chocola to return his contributions from defense contractors and restore honesty and integrity to the people of Indiana’s 2nd district. Rep. Chocola could make a powerful statement against corruption by standing firm against war profiteering and giving back the money from these political action committees. I’ve written a letter, like several of you have and I’d like to deliver it to Rep. Chocola’s office.
Please join Monique, Suzanne and myself in delivering these letters to Rep. Chocola.

Lt. Peter Smith
U.S. Navy
1960-1964