Veterans Critique Ammar Campa-Najjar’s Military Claims
Some veterans are voicing their concerns about Ammar Campa-Najjar, a Democratic candidate for the House, who has been utilizing his military experience to enhance his campaign appeal.
In his campaign materials, Campa-Najjar referred to himself as a “naval officer,” a term that isn’t entirely accurate since he is a naval reserve officer. This discrepancy has not gone unnoticed, particularly given that Navy policy mandates reservists to clearly outline their military status.
“Shame on Campa-Najjar and those who supported these cynical political stunts,” one veteran remarked.
Navy officials announced they’re looking into the matter as Campa-Najjar’s campaign faces allegations of violating Pentagon policies.
“I endorsed Ammar in the past, but that won’t happen again,” said Navy veteran Elizabeth Perez Rodriguez.
Campa-Najjar, who is also under the spotlight for his connection with wealthy heiress Rep. Sarah Jacobs (D-Calif.), stirred more controversy when he featured a photo on his campaign site, taken at a Massachusetts National Cemetery. The photograph was near the grave of a Korean War veteran, a person with no known ties to him.
Perez-Rodriguez further noted, “As a veteran, I can’t stand candidates exploiting military uniforms for politics. It’s disrespectful to use veterans’ graves for campaigning.”
“National cemeteries are sacred places, not for political theatrics,” stated Marine Corps veteran Brian Van Riper. “Using military graves for campaign photos is one of the most distasteful tactics I’ve ever seen.”
Michael Malak, an Army veteran, echoed these sentiments: “These allegations are serious and reflect a blatant disrespect for military service and the uniform.” He expressed disappointment in Campa-Najjar for using posed portraits at veterans’ graves to promote his campaign.
While Campa-Najjar’s campaign website does state he is a U.S. Navy Reserve officer, it includes a disclaimer indicating that mentions of his military role or photos in uniform are solely for identification and do not imply endorsement from the Army or Navy.
His campaign manager, Andy McNew, rebutted the allegations, claiming that the cemetery photo was from an official Memorial Day event honoring fallen soldiers. He insisted, “Our campaign has never participated in any political activities at veterans’ cemeteries, and claims to the contrary misrepresent the facts and existing regulations.”
This marks Campa-Najjar’s third bid for a congressional seat. Currently, he is up against incumbent Republican Rep. Darrell Issa in California’s newly re-elected 48th Congressional District.
