I'm sure the wingnuts will love this one even if they take an honest look at heir own politicians.

This man is a joke:

People who falsely claim to have served in combat in the U.S. Armed Forces could wind up in jail and pay a stiff fine, under an amendment introduced today by Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah).

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“It is sad that there are those who attempt to inflate their record and make these claims,” Hatch said. “To do that defiles the sacrifice and service of those who have served in combat. Worse yet, it dishonors the sacrifice of the brave men and women in uniform who have given their lives in combat so that the freedoms we enjoy are defended.”

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The Stolen Valor Act President Bush signed into law in 2005 made it a federal crime for anyone to falsely wear military decorations and medals authorized by Congress and the Armed Forces. Hatch’s amendment extends this to those who make false claims about serving in combat. “It is a crime to dishonor the sacrifice of so many by falsely representing combat service for the purposes of self-promotion or benefit,” Hatch concluded. “My amendment would deter those who would falsely prop themselves up in order to appear worthy of the award and title of ‘combat veteran.’ ”

A Democratic Senator should add an amendment to it that makes this measure retroactive so that whoever gets caught falsifying their combat record has to serve six months in jail immediately.

Getting caught in the lie is bad enough, but it's sad that a member of Congress would stoop this low. Well, it is coming from the House of Lords, and they think they are royalty, so it's on par with their assaulted feeling of self-importance.

Digby has more:

I'd laugh it weren't so obvious that the Republicans are cranking up their scandal machinery (which relies on a flurry of unintelligible accusations that eventually adds up to a narrative of political "trouble.") Meanwhile, it might be useful to point out that this is going to result in some very uncomfortable moments in the Senate men's room: Long before he was the Senate's most powerful sometimes-moderate who won't support the climate bill he helped draft because of personal pique, Lindsey Graham was just another politician who repeatedly lied about fighting in a war overseas. According to his (current) official bio, "Graham logged six-and-a-half years of service on active duty as an Air Force lawyer." After he left the active duty force, he joined the South Carolina Air National Guard. During the first Gulf War, Graham was called up to act as staff judge advocate at McEntire Air National Guard Base in South Carolina. As staff judge advocate, Graham's duties "included briefing pilots on the law of armed conflict, preparing legal documents for deploying troops, and providing legal services for family members of the South Carolina Air National Guard. " His service never took him out of South Carolina. And so, naturally, for years afterward, Lindsey Graham referred to himself in his official biography and elsewhere as "an Operation Desert Shield and Desert Storm veteran." And then there's this one...

How about George Bush's lies of war?

Mother Jones has a nice time line on his military career including this:

George W. Bush on sacrifice:

"I've been to war. I've raised twins. If I had a choice, I'd rather go to war."

Houston Chronicle, January 2002 Bush on lessons learned:

"I learned some good lessons from Vietnam. First, there must be a clear mission. Secondly, the politics ought to stay out of fighting a war. There was too much politics during the Vietnam War."

Associated Press, March 2002

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The Guard begins testing for drugs during physicals. Spring 1971:

Hired by Texas agricultural importer, Bush uses F-102 to shuttle tropical plants from Florida.

May 26, 1972:

Transfers to Alabama Guard unit so he can work on Senator William Blount's reelection campaign. According to his commanding officer, Bush never shows up for duty while in Alabama, nor can anyone confirm he ever serves in the Guard again.

August 1972:

Bush is grounded for missing a mandatory physical. November 1972:

Bush returns to Houston, but never reports for Guard duty.

How about we have an amendment that says if your Vice President and Secretary of Defense did everything they could to avoid serving in the military during a time of war when a draft is being held, then they need to be removed from office when a call for war emanates from the White House?

ARM10852 - False Statement of Military Service