Exclusive: Banks demands Pentagon answers on Tim Walz's military record
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Rep. Jim Banks (R-Ind.) is calling for Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin to provide information on Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz's military record, which has come under scrutiny since being tapped as Vice President Kamala Harris' running mate.
Why it matters: In a letter sent to Austin on Thursday, Banks — the chair of the House Armed Services' Military Personnel subcommittee — said he has concerns about how Walz represented his time serving in the Army National Guard.
- "The American people deserve transparency into the military records of service-members who serve in public office and especially when they represent such service as credentials for public office," he wrote.
- "Misrepresentation and deceit intended to mislead the public about their service erode the integrity of our military and impact all Americans who choose to serve."
Driving the news: Republicans have been quick to put the allegations of stolen valor into the spotlight in recent days.
- In his letter, Banks asked when the Minnesota Democrat started the retirement process, whether he was "deployed overseas to Iraq or Afghanistan to serve in combat," whether he had a military security clearance and whether he misrepresented his service.
- He also questioned whether Austin believes "falsely claiming to have carried a combat weapon in war constitutes stolen valor" and the consequences for service members that have lied about their service record.
The other side: The Harris campaign has defended Walz' record.
- "After 24 years of military service, Governor Walz retired in 2005 and ran for Congress, where he chaired Veterans Affairs and was a tireless advocate for our men and women in uniform — and as Vice President of the United States he will continue to be a relentless champion for our veterans and military families," the campaign said in a statement.
The big picture: Republicans are expected to make the accusations a key component of their attacks on the Harris-Walz ticket as they look to shift their messaging strategy.
- "Misleading the American people about serving in a war zone is not only shameful, it's insulting to every service member who has risked their life in combat zones to defend our freedoms," Banks said in a statement to Axios.
- "As an Afghanistan veteran and Chairman of the Military Personnel Subcommittee, I think it's important that the public have the whole truth about Tim Walz's military service."
