VFW-PAC Shut Down After Revolt Over Endorsements
The Wall Street Journal reports:
The political arm of the Veterans of Foreign Wars has largely shut down operations amid a member backlash after it endorsed a slew of Democratic incumbents, including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, California Sen. Barbara Boxer and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid.
Effective last Friday, VFW Commander-in-Chief Richard Eubank removed all 11 board directors of the group’s political action committee, after they refused a request by him and other VFW leaders to rescind this year’s congressional endorsements following complaints from veterans who view many of the incumbents as anti-military.
In a memo Thursday, Mr. Eubank said he would also move to dissolve the PAC altogether at the group’s annual convention next August, saying that “the recent endorsement decisions have, in fact, harmed the VFW’s reputation and future ability to fulfill our mission.”
Mr. Eubank was traveling overseas and not available for comment Monday.
Tyrone Benson, chairman of the now-defunct PAC board, said that in the wake of his board’s ouster, all fund-raising for the 31-year-old PAC had been terminated nationally and that the committee had just one staff member working in its Washington office. Mr. Benson added that while he still stands by the endorsements, he doesn’t question the VFW commander’s authority to disband his board.
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