Bentivolio vs Raczkowski; “Dumb and more Dumber”

If an individual is going to use their military service to promote themselves or their business in any way; they should be prepared to back up their claims.  This is a case where two Army veterans are posturing and  bloviating over their military careers.  There are reports that Bentivolio made statements about having Bronze Stars, Purple Hearts and a Silver Star from his service in the Viet of Nam.   So the petulant acting Raczkowski decides to question the veracity of Bentivolio’s claims.

Bentivolio sued Raczkowski in May seeking $10 million in damages, alleging that Raczkowski conducted a “malicious defamation campaign” about his military record, including questioning his medals.

Raczkowski has called the lawsuit frivolous, while maintaining there are credibility issues regarding some of the Vietnam-era medals that Bentivolio has claimed in political campaigns and which Raczkowski investigated.

Both men are U.S. Army veterans seeking the Republican nomination in next week’s primary election for the in the 11th District, where U.S. Rep. Dave Trott is retiring.

I checked our email, nobody by the name of Raczkowski has asked us to verify the service of a Bentivolio.  It’s really not all that hard to submit a request.   We could have saved Rocky a whole lot of energy and produced a professionally conducted investigation that  would have stood up in any court.  Why use professional Private Investigators that verify military service every day when you can call someone at Fort Benning and make an ass of yourself.   It does not seem like Rocky Raczkowski is much of a protracted thinker.

Oh but wait, there is more.

The Detroit News obtained a partial recording of the 2012 meeting.

In the recording, Raczkowski tells Bentivolio that he inquired with the Combat Infantryman Badge command office at Fort Benning and was told they had no record of Bentivolio’s Combat Infantryman Badge award.

Bentivolio says, “My records for my awards for a Silver Star and three Purple Hearts disappeared, too.” Bentivolio adds, “There’s no proof.”

In the recording, Raczkowski points out that Bentivolio should still have his medical record to show he was wounded, but Bentivolio says that was lost, too.

Raczkowski later presses him: “So, what happened to the Silver Star?”

“I never read it. I just know that I was put in for it,” Bentivolio replies in the recording.

I have some advice for Bentivolio, if an award or in his case three separate Purple Hearts, a Bronze Star and a Silver Star are not in his records how about he STFU about having them.  Bentivolio says he never made any claims to having Purple Hearts and a Silver Star.  Ya, I guess he is attempting to say he was “Put In for Them”.  The great thing about going to Civil Court is the Discovery Process.  In Court you will have to provide your entire Service Record which can be held to the scrutiny of an “Expert” in the field.  It is easy to find a copy of Bentivolio’s DD214, he posted it on his web site.

I got lots of questions, but I will just point out the low hanging fruit.  Kerry here is going to have to explain how long he was in Iraq.  I am no math wizard but according to his foreign service,  8 months and 6 days minus how long he was in Iraq does not give our boy much time to get 3 Purple Hearts, a Bronze and Silver Star while in the Viet of the Nam.   I am going out on a limb here, but I am guessing Kerry Bentivolio’s records can be used to prove beyond a doubt he was never even considered for all of those awards nor could have he been.

That’s my opinion and I am sticking to it.

Category: Politics