The Free Press, Mankato, MN

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July 26, 2006

Letter writer impugned Tim Walz's character

I was wondering when the Republicans would start “swift boating” Tim Walz, the DFL candidate for Congress in southern Minnesota. Now in Saturday’s Free Press Wally Gates has a letter implying that Walz has lied about his service overseas with the Army National Guard.

Tim Walz has never lied about his service. I have heard him speak several times, and he always explains that the battalion he led was sent to Italy during Operation Enduring Freedom to provide support to the U.S. troops fighting in Afghanistan. He served overseas for 10 months in 2003-2004. Walz’s web page (www.timwalz.org) simply says he served 24 years in the Army National Guard, and “prior to retiring, Walz served overseas with his battalion in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.” Yet Wally Gates says that Walz “strongly suggests that he fought in Iraq or Afghanistan.” Neither the web page nor the candidate has ever suggested that, and it is underhanded and mean-spirited for the Republicans to impugn Walz’s character. Readers who want the truth should go to www.timwalz.org, click on “About,” and read Tim’s biography - it’s very impressive, as Mr. Gates admits in his letter.

James Manahan

Mankato

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