Swift Boat Sunk

Swift Boat Vets and POWs for Truth pretended to be an independent, non-political veterans group when it actively led media attacks against U.S. Senator John Kerry during the 2000 presidential campaign. However, it now appears to be sunk after some questionable financial transactions.

The organization led by retired U.S. Navy Rear Admiral Roy "Latch" Hoffman during February 8, 2006 donated $100,000 to the Admiral Roy F. Hoffman Foundation, which coincidentally lists Roy F. Hoffman as chairman. It was the second "donation" from Swift Boat Vets to the Hoffman Foundation.

Subsequently, during April 6, 2006, the organization filed a report with the U.S. Internal Revenue Service. Weymouth D. Symmees, who signed the report as "legal custodian of records and authorized official" declared that the group did not receive any donations during the preceding fiscal period but spent $218,871 of which $100,000 went to the Hoffman Foundation and $113,695 was paid to attorney Patton Boggs of Washington, D.C.

Swift Boat Vets for Truth raised money from veterans under the pretense of exposing Senator Kerry's military service. Strangely, nothing was ever said about funding the Roy F. Hoffman Foundation.

But, we must thank the Swift Boat Vets for helping elect George Bush, Jr. as president because Mr. Bush had the courage during November 2006, to visit Hanoi, Vietnam and praise the Communist government whiling standing under a plague of Ho Chi Minh. The following day, Mr. Bush personally endorsed Viet-Nam's membership application for the World Trade Organization. Of course nothing was said about his father, former president George H.W. being senior advisor to the Carlyle Group, which is investing billions of U.S. dollars in China and Viet-Nam. After all, it is probably just coincidental.

And just in case all the psuedo patriotic veterans have forgotten, George Jr. was preceded in Hanoi by Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, who visited during June 2006, and reviewed the Peoples Army of Viet-Nam (PAVN) honor guard at Viet-Nam's Ministry of Defense headquarters. Mr. Rumsfeld praised what was long-called the NVA, just in case there was any doubt about which was the better army during the war.

Shortly after returning to the United States, President Bush pushed legislation through the U.S. Congress establishing Permanent Normal Trade Relation (PNTR) trade status for Viet-Nam. The Republican controlled Senate confirmed such during December 9, 2006.

So, we need to thank Swift Boat Vets for Truth even if the money is being siphoned by Latch Hoffman.

tip of the hat to Chuck Colson