Swift Boat Veterans for Truth Call on John Kerry to Stop Unauthorized Use of Photo
SWIFT BOAT VETERANS FOR TRUTH STOP UNAUTHORIZED USE OF IMAGE
Members of Swift Boat Veterans for Truth are calling on John Kerry to stop unauthorized use of their images in national campaign advertising. The photo in use contains 20
officers, including Kerry, 11 of whom signed a letter condemning Kerry yet their image is being widely used in his campaign. Of the remaining eight officers pictured: two are deceased, four do not wish to be involved in any manner and only two of the 20 are believed to support Kerry. (PRNewsFoto)[RV]
ALEXANDRIA, VA USA 05/17/2004
Kerry Fraudulently Using Picture of Swift Boat Vets Who Condemn Him in
National Advertising
ALEXANDRIA, Va., May 17 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Swift Boat Veterans for
Truth, a group of more than 220 Swift Boat veterans from the unit in which
John Kerry served, call on Kerry to stop the unauthorized use of their images
in national campaign advertising.
For example, the photo in Kerry's national campaign ads contains 20
officers, including Kerry, 11 of whom signed a letter condemning Kerry yet
their image is being widely used in his own campaign. It was taken on the
island of An Thoi on January 22, 1969. These officers together with Swift
Boat Veterans for Truth call upon him to cease the unauthorized use of their
photo by his campaign. They are jointly submitting a letter to John Kerry.
(Photo links, letter to Kerry and link to unauthorized use of the photo
below.)
Of the remaining eight officers in the photo: two are deceased and four
do not wish to be involved in any manner; only two of the 20 are believed to
support Kerry.
William Shumadine, shown in the photo and a member of Swift Boat Veterans
for Truth, stated, "His use of a photograph with his 19 comrades with
knowledge that 11 of them condemn him and six who cannot or do not want to be
involved is a complete misrepresentation to the public and a total fraud."
Swift Boat Veterans for Truth's sole purpose is to bring the truth about
John Kerry's service to the American public and is not affiliated with any
political organization. It includes more than 220 Swift vets, virtually the
entire chain of command Kerry reported to and a large majority of peers who
served with him during his short and controversial stay in Vietnam. The
group's purpose has struck a cord with the American public with more than
two million hits on its website Swiftvets.com .
"John Kerry will find that the truth is hard to contain. It's been
evident in the overwhelming support we have received over the last two weeks.
We're grateful to the veterans and Americans who are rallying behind us," said
Admiral Roy Hoffman, Chairman of Swift Boat Veterans for Truth.
Swift Boat Veterans for Truth is a Special Purpose Political Action Committee.
It is a tax exempt non-partisan public advocacy "527" organization consisting
of, and limited to, former military officers and enlisted men who served in
Vietnam on U.S. Navy Swift Boats or in affiliated commands. Chairman, Rear
Admiral Roy Hoffmann (retired). Treasurer, Weymouth "Wey" Symmes,
PO Box 26184, Alexandria, VA 22313 swiftvets.com
(Photo: newscom.com )
Dear Senator Kerry:
Your campaign advertising includes a picture of the 20 officers
photographed at An Thoi. We did not give permission for you to use a
photo including our image, nor do we support you. We have, in fact,
signed a letter delivered to you calling on you to authorize the
Department of Defense to release all of your medical and military
records. We call upon you personally to do this. We join our fellow
Swiftees who believe that someone who heaped scorn and lies on his own
unit for his personal political gain is not fit to be Commander in Chief.
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