In a little blast from Clinton's past it's an avalanche of Democrats and their supporters who are turning out to be liars about their military service, lately. We are reminded of the late M. Larry Lawrence, a long time Bill Clinton donor who was such a heavy contributor that Clinton paid him off with the ambassadorship to Switzerland (1993 to 1996). Even The New York Times can't hide this one because since his false service had been confirmed, in 1997 his body had been removed from Arlington Cemetery, an honor that Clinton had strings pulled to bestow upon him after his passing from cancer in 1996 -- an Arlington burial being just another payoff for his huge donations to Clinton's campaign fund.
"Confronted with mounting evidence that M. Larry Lawrence, the late Ambassador to Switzerland, had fabricated a heroic World War II record, his widow decided today to have his remains exhumed from Arlington National Cemetery, where he was granted burial under an unusual waiver."
So what was the story? How was his military service a sham?
"Mr. Lawrence said he had been serving in the United States merchant marine. He said he was thrown overboard into the icy Arctic Ocean after a German torpedo hit his ship as it headed for the Russian port of Murmansk."
Well... not so much. Turns out Mr. Lawrence was attending Wilbur Wright College in Chicago during March of 1945, the same time period he claimed he was under fire as a Merchant Marine.
"But Congressional investigators with the House Veterans Affairs subcommittee on oversight and investigations found that Mr. Lawrence's name did not appear in the Coast Guard's records of merchant seamen. His name also did not appear in any official documents related to the 1945 voyage of the Horace Bushnell, including the ship's list of passengers."
Ooops. But it's even worse than a mere little white lie. Lawrence was given all sorts of honors during his lifetime for his supposed bravery in WWII. The Russian Federation even gave him the Medal of Valor in 1994. Then Clinton bent the rules to allow him to be buried in Arlington upon Lawrence's death in 1996. Why did Clinton do this? The money.
"The story of Mr. Lawrence and his spectacular, self-made war record began as yet another campaign finance allegation, in this case, that wealthy Democratic donors traded campaign contributions for Arlington burial plots."
Yes it was all "Because Mr. Lawrence was a generous contributor to Mr. Clinton's 1992 Presidential campaign." Say it isn't so! Bill Clinton selling influence and giving gifts for campaign cash? Next thing you'll tell me is he sold the Lincoln Bedroom! (Hat tip Newsbuster Anna Bastounes)
