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Marine Corps Orders GOP Politician To Stop Using Its Seal

Marine Corps Orders GOP Politician To Stop Using Its Seal

The Marine Corps is not happy with Rep. Duncan Hunter.

The Marine Corps issued a “cease and desist” letter to Rep. Duncan Hunter, telling the indicted California Republican to stop using the Marine Corps emblem in his campaign, NBC News reported Wednesday.

“It has come to our attention that your campaign is using the official USMC Eagle, Globe and Anchor (Emblem) and the phrase ‘No Better Friend, No Worse Enemy’ (Phrase) as an integral part of your political campaign, namely, on at least one fundraising mailer to your constituents,” the letter states.

Since those images and phrases are protected by federal law and cannot be used without permission, the Marine Corps demanded Hunter’s campaign “immediately remove the Emblem and the Phrase from its mailers, and, without limitation, from all other campaign materials including websites and other instances where the Emblem or the Phrase are being used.”

Just to be sure the campaign follows through, the Marine Corps demanded to know “a timetable as to your compliance with our requests.”

Hunter used the Marine Corps emblem on a racist mailer attacking his likely Democratic opponent, Ammar Campa-Najjar.

“At this point, it’s pretty clear that Congressman Hunter has lost all ability to tell the difference between right and wrong, fact and fiction,” Campa-Najjar said last week about the mailer. “It’s one scandal after another, one embarrassing news story after another, one potential crime after another, one courtroom appearance after another, and one lie after another.”

The Hunter campaign’s unauthorized use of Marine Corps material piles on to Hunter’s existing legal troubles. Hunter is out on bail and awaiting trial after being arrested for using campaign cash to fund a lavish lifestyle. Federal prosecutors accuse Hunter of using campaign funds to take family vacations, pay for his children’s private schools, and even fly the family’s pet rabbit across the country.

Hunter also allegedly used campaign cash to carry on multiple extramarital affairs, including some with lobbyists and one with a staffer. Hunter’s wife, who was also his campaign manager, pleaded guilty and has agreed to cooperate with prosecutors.

Hunter came close to violating his parole during a stunt near the U.S.-Mexico border where Hunter claimed to go to Mexico. One of the conditions of his parole is that he not leave the country.

Hunter’s service in the Marine Corps has also been a source of controversy. In a May interview, Hunter bragged that when he served in Iraq, he killed “scores of if not hundreds of civilians, probably killed women and children if there were any left in the city when we invaded.”

The Hunter campaign says it will comply with the Marine Corps request to remove their emblem and other protected material, according to NBC News.

Published with permission of The American Independent.

IMAGE: Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-CA).