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From the New York Post: Democratic Maryland Gov. Wes Moore claimed Thursday that it was “an honest mistake” when he lied about being a prestigious Bronze Star recipient on a 2006 White House fellowship application.
Moore, who was 27 years old when he applied for the White House position, blamed his Army superiors for the inclusion of the falsehood on the application and said he never corrected the mistake because he was eager to “begin the next phase” of his life, in a statement released after the New York Times reported on the embellishment.
“These are the facts,” the Maryland governor wrote in his lengthy statement. “While serving overseas with the Army, I was encouraged to fill out an application for the White House Fellowship by my deputy brigade commander. In fact, he helped me edit it before I sent it in. At the time, he had recommended me for the Bronze Star. He told me to include the Bronze Star award on my application after confirming with two other senior-level officers that they had also signed off on the commendation.”
Moore noted that his deputy brigade commander “felt comfortable with instructing me to include the award” on the application because he was under the impression that the medal for heroic or meritorious service had already been “approved by his senior leadership.”
Moore, 45, was elected as governor of Maryland in November 2022 and took office in January 2023. He had served in the U.S. Army from 1998 to 2014.
Moore further wrote:
In the military, there is an understanding that if a senior officer tells you that an action is approved, you can trust that as a fact. That is why it was part of the application, plain and simple.
Towards the end of my deployment, I was disappointed to learn that I hadn’t received the Bronze Star. But I was ready to begin the next phase of my life, because the reward for service is never an award – it’s the opportunity to give back to your country. When I returned home, I was focused on helping my fellow veterans, a mission I continue to advance as governor.
Still, I sincerely wish I had gone back to correct the note on my application. It was an honest mistake, and I regret not making that correction. But do not think for a moment that this attack on my record holds any bearing on how I feel about my service, my soldiers, or our country. Getting to serve with an historic unit like the 82nd was one of the greatest honors of my life.
More stolen valor from a rising Democratic star https://t.co/fjpxQdGCy8
— Ben Shapiro (@benshapiro) August 29, 2024
This statement seems laughably untrue, except for the part where Wes Moore lied about getting a Bronze Star so he could advance his political career. Moore lied about growing up as a poor kid in Baltimore for the same reason. Ambition without principle. https://t.co/18JZruBqno
— Matt Stoller (@matthewstoller) August 30, 2024
Wes Moore’s false claim of a Bronze Star is disgraceful. He didn’t earn it when he applied for the fellowship, and failing to correct the record in 2022 is unacceptable. As a Marine Corps veteran, I’m appalled by his actions. https://t.co/9fqjcI5JZf
— Cohen for Congress (@CohenCongress24) August 30, 2024
Report: Gov. Wes Moore incorrectly claimed he received Bronze Star in 2006 application https://t.co/xTjFNcaR25
— Sun Nation/World (@baltsunworld) August 29, 2024
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