New Jersey Military Combat Veterans Slam Rep. Andy Kim’s Attack on U.S. Military Men & Women

GOP challenger Healey: Rep. Kim’s launch of “The Protection of Civilians in Conflict Caucus” is offensive, insulting ‘woke’ bullsh*t

For Immediate Release

Contact: Theresa Velardi

(732)-682-8923

Moorestown, September 2, 2022 – In response to news this week that incumbent Congressman Andy Kim was one of several Democrats launching “The Protection of Civilians in Conflict Caucus”, combat veterans Assemblyman Brian Bergen (R-Morris) and Marine Corps Major Nick De Gregorio all slammed incumbent Democrat Andy Kim for what they called “a direct and disrespectful assault on the character and decency of U.S. military men and women.”

Rep. Kim’s new caucus, according to Kim’s own press release, will “conduct oversight and advance policies that prevent, reduce, and respond to civilian harm as a result of U.S. and partners’ operations” and “remedy the current trend of civilian harm treated…and the growing number of internally displaced people, refugees, and wounded or killed civilians.”

“You would think a self-proclaimed national security expert and two-term member of the House Armed Services Committee like Congressman Kim would have heard about the ‘Law of Armed Conflict’ and know that the U.S. military is already required to mitigate civilian deaths in every conceivable situation,” said former Marine Corps Major Nick De Gregorio, who served multiple tours in Iraq and Afghanistan. “The formation of this caucus is a slap in the face to anyone who actually served in combat and faced these types of life and death decisions.”

“American military commanders are keenly aware and extremely dedicated to the protection of non-combatants. This caucus is no more than a useless collection of politicians talking about things we already know and which our Department of Defense is already working on. How about Kim focuses on issues that affect us here at home where immediate attention is needed like inflation and gas prices,” said Assemblyman Bergen.

“Congressman Kim’s decision to launch this caucus is a direct assault on the reputation and character of our combat veterans,” said Healey. “Today, I am calling on him to step down from this caucus, explain himself to the tens of thousands of veterans living in our district, and apologize to all those who served in combat and, in many cases, laid down their lives for us. The last thing they deserve is some ‘woke’ lecture from a career politician and bureaucrat who has spent years puffing himself up on the coattails of our military.”