OLYMPIA, Wash. – Washington gubernatorial candidate Semi Bird (R) finds himself in the midst of controversy over his military record again after a conservative commentator questioned his Bronze Star Medal.
Conservative commentator Jason Rantz published an article on May 28 that included two anonymous sources asserting that Bird misrepresented his military service in Iraq to earn his Bronze Star Medal for Valor. Bird’s campaign denied that he had stolen valor on Friday.
“I was awarded the Bronze Star Valor and Purple Heart for my service in Iraq in 2006. Standing up to bullies who would rather attack than debate, says more about them then it does about me,” Bird said.
The Spokane County Republican Party, which placed its support behind Bird during his contentious nomination process by the state GOP in April, affirmed his candidacy on Saturday.
“The Spokane County Republican Party finds no merit in the allegations of ‘stolen valor,’ firmly denounces the actions of those who resort to such depths, implores the Bonneville Media Group and its host to retract these unfounded charges,” party chairwoman MJ Bolt said.
It isn’t the first time Bird’s military record has caused a political quagmire. He was court-martialed as a Marine in 1984 after striking a fellow officer who called him a racial epithet, which he later denied as the Richland School Board Director according to the Tri-Cities Observer.
Despite the controversies, Bird has maintained the support of the Washington Republican Party rather than fellow Republican gubernatorial candidate Dave Reichert.
