Linda McMahon for Senate

Jun 7, 2010

Assistant Attorney General Richard R. Hine: “He Then Said, You’re A Major, And So It Will Be A Little Different For You Than It Was For Me As An Enlisted Marine In Vietnam. I Was Appalled And Shocked, Because I Knew He Had Not Been To Vietnam … I Have Been Torn For Twenty Years About That Conversation And What It Tells Me About His Character.”

CT Assistant Attorney General Says Blumenthal Lied To Him About Vietnam Service

CT Watchdog
By George Gombossy
Monday, June 7, 2010

A veteran Connecticut Assistant Attorney General claims that Richard Blumenthal falsely told him 18 years ago that he had served as a Marine in Vietnam.

“It is the most despicable disgusting thing,” assistant attorney general Richard R. Hine told me in a telephone interview this morning.

Hine, a 24-year veteran trial attorney working for Blumenthal, said not only did Blumenthal lie to him 18 years ago about serving in Vietnam, he had heard Blumenthal make similar false statements at about five functions the two attended together over the years. He said he could not pinpoint any of the five. Blumenthal is now the Democratic candidate for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Chris Dodd.

Ct Atty Gen Richard Blumenthal who is the Democratic candidate for the U.S. Senate

Hine, a Marine Major in the reserves, said he kept silent about the lies until now because the initial conversation 18 years ago was so emotional.

In that conversation, Blumenthal called Hine into his office to offer suggestions and assistance as Hine had been called up for duty for Desert Storm.

“Dick took time to talk to me about the challenges I might be facing. He knew my young daughter Allison from meeting her and talking to her numerous times,” Hine said. “Dick gave me his private phone number to call if I needed help or assistance. He told me to give Allison his private number and to have him call her if she was ever scared or worried about me.”

“He then said, you’re a Major, and so it will be a little different for you than it was for me as an enlisted Marine in Vietnam. I was appalled and shocked, because I knew he had not been to Vietnam, yet just a moment before he had helped to console my daughter in an unsolicited act of kindness.”

Blumenthal’s campaign spokeswoman Maura Downes said this morning that she was not aware of the letter or the claim and had no immediate comment.

Hine said it was the “kindest thing anyone had done for me.”

Even though he knew that Blumenthal was lying to him in that conversation about having been to Vietnam, Hine said he did not challenge him because of the generous offer he made to help his daughter. When Blumenthal ran for attorney general the first time 20 years ago, Hine said he researched him and knew then that Blumenthal never left the states.

But after the New York Times last month broke the story that Blumenthal had lied at several events about having served in Vietnam, Hine said he began thinking about making his conversation public.

And when Blumenthal claimed that his statements about serving in Vietnam were simply slips of the tongue, Hine said he could no longer keep quiet.

“Enough was enough,” Hines told me. “That he misspoke is crap.”

Almost two weeks ago he sent copies of a letter to numerous newspapers, including the Hartford Courant, New Haven Register, New York Times, and New Britain Herald as well as to blogger Don Pesci of Red Notes From A Blue State. Only Pesci used his letter, which did not identify him as an assistant attorney general.

The following is Hine’s letter:

Richard Reeves Hine

New Britain, CT 60053

A Marine’s Apology to Vietnam Veterans and their Families

I have known Richard Blumenthal for over twenty years. Dick Blumenthal completed “boot camp” at Marine Corp Recruiting Depot, Parris Island, South Carolina. The training is rigid and puts stress and strain on the recruits mentally and physically. It is no picnic.

When you graduate, you become a member of the world’s most elite fighting force and you have earned the right to call yourself a “Marine.” I was a Judge Advocate at Paris Island alternating from defense counsel to trial counsel and Individual Military Counsel in the late 1970’s. I congratulate Dick Blumenthal for his service, stamina and courage in challenging himself to become a Marine.

When I was called up for Desert Storm from the Reserves, Dick took time to talk to me about the challenges I might be facing. He knew my young daughter Allison from meeting her and talking to her numerous times. He also knew my marriage to Allison’s mother was falling apart. Dick gave me his private phone number to call if I needed help or assistance. He told me to give Allison his private number and to have him call her if she was ever scared or worried about me.

Allison was and is today the “apple of my eye.”

Prior to my leaving for Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, where I was a Company Commander and the Officer in Charge of Retrograde, Allison sat with me and both of us were interviewed by Channel 8, Channel 3, the New Haven Register, and the North Haven Post. All the reporters were amazed by her poise, intelligence and composure. She was very scared. The world as she knew it was falling apart and I was going.

Alison never called Dick. His act of kindness and compassion to my daughter and me I will never forget, and I am deeply indebted to him for life. We then talked about my possibly going to Iraq if the war went poorly. We then discussed the separation from family and employment, and we agreed I would be with my fellow Marines and friends. He then said, you’re a Major, and so it will be a little different for you than it was for me as an enlisted Marine in Vietnam. I was appalled and shocked, because I knew he had not been to Vietnam, yet just a moment before he had helped to console my daughter in an unsolicited act of kindness.

I have been torn for twenty years about that conversation and what it tells me about his character.

Periodically, I would hear him repeat the statement that he served in Vietnam. He didn’t “misspeak” or “misstate” to me face-to-face twenty years ago and he hasn’t to veterans and the press in subsequent years – he lied.

As a Major, Judge Advocate USMCR I want to apologize for Sergeant Richard Blumenthal to all the Vietnam era service members, their mothers and fathers and all their loved ones.

The blood of our service members soaked the rice paddies of Vietnam, we lost tens of thousands of our young and tens of thousands of other service members come home injured psychologically and physically.

I apologize to all that are living and offer my prayers to those who have left us.

I was at Officers’ Candidate School in Quantico, Virginia for part of the Vietnam War. I also received an education deferment to finish college and an education deferment to finish law school. During Desert Storm, I never left Camp Lejeune for Iraq. I don’t claim to have been overseas for either war, but if I did I would be dishonoring the integrity that my grandparents, parents and mentors taught me, and that I have zealously protected my whole life.

“Misstatements,” “misspeaking” are what politicians claim when they get caught lying. Dick lied to me at the same time he was compassionate. You decide. It took me twenty years to decide.

SEMPER FIDELIS

Richard R. Hine

Major USMCR

Judge Advocate

LINK

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For more information, contact the Linda McMahon for Senate Press Office, 860-244-2010.