Grassley Works Campaign Challenges Franken to Substantiate Questionable Claims in New Ad
WEST DES MOINES – Grassley Works Campaign Manager Matt Dailer released the following statement regarding Mike Franken’s latest television advertisement calling on the Democrat nominee to substantiate his claims:
“It’s time for Mike Franken to come clean. Time for him to be frank.
“Mike Franken makes two self-serving but unsubstantiated claims about himself in a new television ad. First, he claims: ‘For President Bush, I was that one person to speak out against the Iraq invasion.’ This is a common refrain of his on the campaign trail. But it is an absurd claim. The only person in the country? In the Pentagon? In the Administration? Of course not. So what is he talking about?
“His announcement video in 2019 did provide some additional but vague background. In the video, he claimed that ‘my hardest decision was when I was just a young captain in late 2002. The Bush White House ordered the Pentagon to plan the invasion of Iraq. I represented the U.S. Navy and was the most junior person at the table full of generals and politicians. … When the vote came, we had the choice between three invasion plans … I alone in the room voted for a fourth option: no.’
“There are two problems with this boast. The 9-11 Commission found the plans were developed starting in 2001, issued in the summer of 2002, and approved by President Bush in August of that year. (See below).
“How did Franken vote in late 2002 on plans that had been issued months earlier? Additionally, he said he voted as a young captain. He did not become a captain until September of 2002. Again, after the president had already approved the plan.
“Franken must explain these discrepancies. Where and when did this supposed vote on Iraq take place and what was the body voting? Who presided? Where is the record? Franken has yet to provide any evidence to substantiate his claim.
“His second boast is that ‘Under President Obama, I challenged an outdated system to improve our intelligence.’ Simply put, what is he talking about? What was the system? What did it have to do with Obama? How did he express his displeasure to the president? Without details, this must be assumed to be a fabrication. Again, Franken has not provided any evidence to substantiate his claim.”
BACKGROUND:
In December of 2001, President Bush ordered Defense Secretary Rumsfeld to update a war plan for Iraq.
In the summer of 2002, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff issued a detailed war plan.
In September of 2002, Mike Franken was confirmed as a captain.
