Swiftee Paul Galanti Works for Dept. of Vet. Affairs
Went on a little internet search. Found something. The names of two of the Swift Boat Vets - Kenneth Cordier and Paul Galanti - pop up in the minutes of a meeting with Anthony J. Principi at the Department of Veterans Affairs (FPOW Advisory Committee) April 28-30, 2003. The meeting was held in Room 930, at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Central Office, 810 Vermont Avenue, Washington, DC 20420.
On February 17, 2004 Commander Paul Galanti, USN (Ret.) was interviewed by John Gibson on "Big Story with John Gibson".
Here's what I wrote at the time as part of my research for Outfoxed: "According to his own website, (Paul Galanti) in 2003 Commander Paul Galanti was appointed by Anthony J. Principi (Secretary of Veterans Affairs) to serve on the Secretary's Committee on Former Prisoners of War. As such, it would seem he is a representative of the current administration. Is his statement about not being very involved in politics accurate?"
My question regarding Cmdr. Galanti's political involvement referred back to a statement he had made during the interview on FOX News Channel, as follows:
GALANTI: "You know, I was John McCain's campaign manager in Virginia in 2000 and I swore after that I would never, ever, get involved with politics again. I haven't very much. But, let me tell you one thing, it looks like John Kerry's gonna get the nomination. If he does, I'm gonna come out of the woodwork and there's a whole bunch of us the same way because he is such an opportunist I don't think the country can stand four years of him."
The following is from the minutes of the FPOW Advisory Committee Meeting a year earlier:
"Paul Galanti suggested VHA format a computer based, interactive, algorithm driven assessment process for VA clinicians. In conjunction with this program, we support the development of a computer based, interactive instrument to assist the former POW in documenting his/her experiences. This should include all relevant military, medical and personal historical information. This will facilitate the development and adjudication of claims." (end of excerpt)
Galanti's name is also mentioned in an article in the L.A. Times as being vehemently opposed to John Kerry, not because he disputes the medals, but because he views Kerry's 1971 testimony as treason against the United States.
I find it interesting that, over a year before the Democratic Convention, in a meeting attended by Cordier and Principi, Cmdr. Galanti suggested the creation of a database whose sole aim was the compilation of POW experiences. The great majority of those vets would be from Vietnam. Was this database ever compiled? If so, was its purpose entirely benign or was it somehow used to screen and subsequently contact veterans whose names ended up on the SWFT website?
Does anyone out there know the answer to these questions?
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