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One nonprofit entity created by Republican gubernatorial candidate Jesse Sullivan owes $3,200 to the state of California — plus additional interest and penalties — for failing to file its tax returns for nearly a year, and another of his organizations is currently listed as delinquent in the West Coast state.
In response to questions from a Chicago Sun-Times reporter, Sullivan’s campaign said Wednesday the downstate venture capitalist plans to settle that debt, which it attributed to a “paperwork error,” and work with California’s Department of Justice to “address these administrative filings to achieve good standing.”
“Jesse Sullivan set up a nonprofit that never began operations,” Sullivan’s campaign said in a statement Wednesday. “When notified today that this unused entity had accumulated fees due to a paperwork error, he immediately took steps to address the fee, and is now closing it.
“As governor, Jesse Sullivan will work to cut red tape and make it easier to start and grow organizations here in Illinois.”
That nonprofit, called Alter Investments, is one of two created by Sullivan. Alter Global, the other non-profit that was registered as a charity and public benefit entity, has had a delinquent status in California since February 2020, according to the website of that state’s attorney general.
* Meanwhile, Sullivan was on WMAY the other day…
Q: In your campaign announcement video, you make reference to having served your country in uniform. Are you in fact, a veteran?
A: So I am not a veteran. I worked actually on the intelligence side of the Army. So I was an intel Army civilian, which was a unique program where they basically wanted to bring people in. So I trained up, you know, Fort Leavenworth, Fort Polk, Louisiana. And then I was deployed, you know, in uniform with a weapon out on combat patrols every day in Helmand, Afghanistan. And my job was mainly getting to know the Afghan local militias that were turning their weapons back on us that we were helping to train up. So my job was to get to know them, try to figure out what the heck was going on on the intel side and then help with military decision-making, essentially advising a brigadier general on what to do in Helmand Province, Afghanistan. So really, really proud of that service for our country. And yeah, just really feel like a lot of the experience has shaped the way I would approach leading as governor of our state.
Q: I don’t want to belabor that. But your your campaign said in a statement to Capitol Fax that you had quote, led combat patrols. Is that accurate? Do civilians lead combat patrols in a war zone?
A: No. So I actually I led our team on combat patrols. And so, no way would I ever want to take anything, I have so much incredible respect for our veterans in my opportunity to serve overseas was one of the proudest things I’ve been able to do for my country. And so in doing that, I was out on, you know, two weeks at a time, I would get out there and I had another analyst, sometimes a social scientist, an interpreter, and my job was a collection efforts. I led our team called the human terrain team. And we would embed with the local units for a couple of weeks. They knew that area better than I did, the area of operation. And so they would lead the combat patrol, I would lead our team on the combat patrol.
posted by Rich Miller
Thursday, Sep 23, 21 @ 9:43 am
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Is it arrogance or ignorance that make candidates like Sullivan believe this kind of dirt won’t be dug?
Comment by Flyin' Elvis'-Utah Chapter Thursday, Sep 23, 21 @ 9:48 am
Ignorance
Comment by Broom Thursday, Sep 23, 21 @ 9:49 am
There are times when a candidate’s boat is taking on water, then we have times like this where a candidate has fallen halfway out of the boat but can’t figure out they are getting wet.
Comment by Give Me A Break Thursday, Sep 23, 21 @ 9:51 am
== Is it arrogance or ignorance that make candidates like Sullivan believe this kind of dirt won’t be dug? ==
Why do the choices have to be mutually exclusive here?
Comment by Leap Day William Thursday, Sep 23, 21 @ 9:52 am
This guy says ‘so’ A LOT.
Comment by So Thursday, Sep 23, 21 @ 9:54 am
That last bit is a lovely word salad.
Comment by Cheryl44 Thursday, Sep 23, 21 @ 9:56 am
“I didn’t lead combat patrols. I led combat patrols”
Yep, makes perfect sense. Thanks
Comment by Bruce( no not him) Thursday, Sep 23, 21 @ 9:58 am
Those paperwork issues are the types of things you check yourself and clear up before you announce.
And he’s still trying to blur his role in Afghanistan. “I would lead our team on the combat patrol.” How about the more honest “I led a civilian team that in the course of our work was protected by a combat patrol?”
Comment by Ron Burgundy Thursday, Sep 23, 21 @ 9:59 am
The tax thing is akin to a candidate taking two homeowners deductions; its a sloppy unforced error. I cant believe those $25k per month consultants didn’t clean that up before the rollout. They must have been out late at Jack Rose the night before.
Comment by Red Ranger Thursday, Sep 23, 21 @ 10:01 am
you are NOT a military personnel if you are a civilian nor can you HONESTLY claim to be. Out right liar as expected
Comment by truthteller Thursday, Sep 23, 21 @ 10:02 am
Q: Do civilians lead combat patrols in a war zone?
A: No. So I actually I led our team on combat patrols.
…..
And so they would lead the combat patrol, I would lead our team on the combat patrol.
I ate pizza yesterday. I did not eat pizza yesterday. Whew…
Sounds like all that money didn’t buy him a good comms team…
Comment by CubsFan16 Thursday, Sep 23, 21 @ 10:04 am
Potato, potatoe… a rose is a rose, no matter the color. I don’t think this was blatant stolen valor but I also feel he’s bad at clarifying things. The campaign trail is going to be tough for him. However, with Bailey in the mix, he may just end up being the prime running mate for Dodger Davis or Schimpf Scampi.
Comment by GatewayGopher Thursday, Sep 23, 21 @ 10:05 am
Worse than Rauner.
Comment by Streamwood Retiree Thursday, Sep 23, 21 @ 10:10 am
-you are NOT a military personnel if you are a civilian-
A relative of mine who spent 20 years working directly for USAF as a civilian would be very surprised to hear that. However, he was an active duty veteran before that.
Comment by Ron Burgundy Thursday, Sep 23, 21 @ 10:11 am
Let me just say that some state laws on set-up and taxes can be a minefield. Illinois, by comparison is fairly easy. I’ve set up LLC’s and corporations in states from Nevada to Ohio, and there are a myriad of tripwires. In some states, closing an entity that never started operations (no revenue, expenses, capital infusion, etc.) took months to accomplish with penalties involved.
Comment by Downstate Thursday, Sep 23, 21 @ 10:11 am
Knowing a civilian working in the DoD who took the oath and also knowing a civilian contractor who has an office “on base” and works directly with military personnel….
… they called this “stolen valor” that military personnel remind *both*, the civilian sworn into service with the DoD and the civilian contractor… it’s as low as one might go.
It’s truly sickening, they both agreed.
===No. So I actually I led our team on combat patrols===
At least Rauner never decided he was Teddy Roosevelt and led forces up San Juan Hill.
Also?
Also, let’s talk about this whole California thing.
He loves Illinois so much he scrubbed any idea that his interests, any and all interests… are California based
Make NO mistake… this is a California business, profit, non-profit… makes no difference…
… it’s a California issue… for his California interests
It’s very much a weasel-way to seem like an Illinoisan
Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Sep 23, 21 @ 10:11 am
=So I actually I led our team on combat patrols.=
Great another guy that wants to dress up so we think he’s somebody else. I used to do that as well when I was a 10 year old kid in the neighborhood. I was the commander of the bike squad and we’d provide protection to anyone that needed it. Does that count?
Comment by Pundent Thursday, Sep 23, 21 @ 10:14 am
For someone with Army “training” at Fort Leavenworth, he sure shoots himself in the foot a lot.
Comment by Dance Band on the Titanic Thursday, Sep 23, 21 @ 10:21 am
If he is saying he led combat patrols as a civilian, they have a name for those people, Mercenary.
Comment by Give Me A Break Thursday, Sep 23, 21 @ 10:25 am
“a name for those people, Mercenary.”
Man, how great would it be if he tried to defuse this error by claiming he was a merc?
Comment by Flyin' Elvis'-Utah Chapter Thursday, Sep 23, 21 @ 10:29 am
Dude ain’t ready for prime time.
Comment by SAP Thursday, Sep 23, 21 @ 10:30 am
Wow, a lot going on here. And by the way, “Jesse Sullivan set up a nonprofit that never began operations” is one of my new all time favorite political quotes.
Comment by Can Thursday, Sep 23, 21 @ 10:33 am
Flyin’ Elvis’-Utah Chapter:
“Is it arrogance or ignorance that make candidates like Sullivan believe this kind of dirt won’t be dug?”
Good question. Reminds me of a great quote from Frank Layden, Utah Jazz president, on a former player:
“I told him, “Son, what is it with you? Is it ignorance or apathy?”
He said, “Coach, I don’t know and I don’t care.”
Btw, fabulous user name!
Comment by Paddyrollingstone Thursday, Sep 23, 21 @ 10:35 am
“This guy says ‘so’ A LOT.”
That’s a little something gamblers and intelligence officers call “a tell.”
– MrJM
Comment by MisterJayEm Thursday, Sep 23, 21 @ 10:38 am
A very bumbling opening, which is supposed to be the easiest part of the campaign. I think Bailey’s still in poll position, pending a late entry from Davis. I had considered that Sullivan’s entry might keep Davis out, but I no longer thing that’s the case.
Comment by Arsenal Thursday, Sep 23, 21 @ 10:40 am
Here’s the gift that keeps on giving - to both Republicans and Democrats.
Comment by Shytown Thursday, Sep 23, 21 @ 10:43 am
I was a civilian contractor working on intelligence issues for the military in Afghanistan. Stop
I was stationed in areas of hostility and combat. Stop
See not too hard, ends the questions, and the debate plus people think you’re a good guy for serving your country.
Comment by Frank talks Thursday, Sep 23, 21 @ 10:43 am
It’s quite obvious the vast majority of commenters here never spend a day in Afghanistan, nor have any knowledge on US presentation of forces doctrine. FWIW, your negative comments at Sullivan (who I’m indifferent about) show your lack of knowledge on the subject.
Comment by Annoyed Thursday, Sep 23, 21 @ 11:01 am
I am young, wealthy, good-looking, and successful. I’m smarter than everyone else in the room, so I should be governor.
Perfect example of why you don’t start at the top in politics. Running for small town mayor, county board, or similar offices vets these sorts of concerns.
How about lieutenant governor? Does that interest you?
Comment by Langhorne Thursday, Sep 23, 21 @ 11:02 am
===nor have any knowledge on US presentation of forces doctrine.===
Voters don’t do nuance.
You think folks wanna read 300 plus pages of this and that so Sullivan can be seen as not arguably stealing valor?
If you can’t explain how you served or didn’t serve, uniformed or not, in less than 20 words… don’t say you served leading a patrol in combat.
===So I actually I led our team on combat patrols.===
That’s… whew.
Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Sep 23, 21 @ 11:07 am
Annoyed states it’s obvious what commenters experiences are then accuses a lack of knowledge.
Irony is a stranger to you, bub.
Comment by Flyin' Elvis'-Utah Chapter Thursday, Sep 23, 21 @ 11:09 am
Yeah. Think it was Sam Rayburn who said to Lyndon Johnson after JFK put together the “best and the brightest” cabinet—-”I just wish one of them had run for Sheriff.” Everyone wants the outsider until it comes time to govern.
Comment by Numbers matter Thursday, Sep 23, 21 @ 11:10 am
Jesse Sullivan is another candidate who’s not ready for the big chair. Unable to clarify his military experience, timely financial filings. More negatives than positives.
Comment by Rudy’s teeth Thursday, Sep 23, 21 @ 11:13 am
-nor have any knowledge on US presentation of forces doctrine.-
OK then, enlighten us on how a civilian making the statement “So I actually led our team on combat patrols” is true.
Comment by Ron Burgundy Thursday, Sep 23, 21 @ 11:13 am
You know, maybe he, you know, led combat patrols, you know, by giving the soldiers “lead,” you know, as in, he “lead” the, you know, patrols.
Comment by Sir Reel Thursday, Sep 23, 21 @ 11:22 am
”I just wish one of them had run for Sheriff.”
I thought it was dog catcher. But the basic idea is quite right. You learn a LOT from running for even a small local office.
Comment by Fav Human Thursday, Sep 23, 21 @ 11:23 am
==This guy says ‘so’ A LOT.==
That’s because ‘yeah’ was already taken by the Jon Lovitz character (and pathological liar) Tommy Flanagan
Comment by Jocko Thursday, Sep 23, 21 @ 11:23 am
Ron, it’s called total force concept. You do not need to be a commissioned officer to have command authority. There is plenty of doctrine and papers about this. My boss was a GS-15 when I was a O-4 assigned to headquarters.
Comment by Annoyed Thursday, Sep 23, 21 @ 11:43 am
=== There is plenty of doctrine and papers about this.===
Voters don’t do nuance…
===My boss was a GS-15 when I was a O-4 assigned to headquarters.===
… this is “gibberish” to civilians.
The only thing worse would be that voters are “too dumb” to “get it” … as they wholly understand embellishing.
Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Sep 23, 21 @ 11:46 am
He was the assistant to the Regional Manager but likes to tell people he was the Assistant Regional Manager.
Comment by Cool Papa Bell Thursday, Sep 23, 21 @ 11:53 am
@Annoyed I’m guessing 99% of Illinois voters haven’t served in Afghanistan and have never even heard of the US presentation of forces doctrine. If you’re explaining you’re losing.
Comment by Frank talks Thursday, Sep 23, 21 @ 11:55 am
Great, another shady rich guy with questionable business practices who loves making stuff up and wearing costumes.
Comment by Excitable Boy Thursday, Sep 23, 21 @ 11:59 am
OW, it’s my comments are military doctrine concerning civilian lines of authority are gibberish maybe you should stop posting on this subject after your ‘two friends’ told you Sullivan is a ‘stolen valor’ person. Any chance their names are Nicki and Minaj?
Hahaha, I know you won’t stop because you are a troll….
Comment by Annoyed Thursday, Sep 23, 21 @ 12:10 pm
===it’s my comments are military doctrine concerning civilian lines of authority are gibberish===
Are civilian voters going to grasp your lingo?
Yeah, I don’t think so either, lol
Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Sep 23, 21 @ 12:15 pm
“My boss was a GS-15 when I was a O-4 assigned to headquarters.”
Great spot to run in the local VFW newsletter, try making it work in a 30 second spot during morning drive while mon is driving the kids to school.
Comment by Give Me A Break Thursday, Sep 23, 21 @ 12:15 pm
It just amazes me that people jump into politics (especially at a high profile level) and seem surprised that their background and everything they say will be, as Mayor Richard M. Daley so eloquently put it, “scrootened.”
As for parsing the technicalities of military doctrine to prove the truth or falsity of a simple statement about someone’s past, as the old political adage goes, “if you’re explaining, you’re losing.”
Comment by Ron Burgundy Thursday, Sep 23, 21 @ 12:18 pm
=Ron, it’s called total force concept. You do not need to be a commissioned officer to have command authority.=
You seem to be giving Sullivan a lot of credit for things that he may or may not have done. To this civilian it looks like he got ahead of his skis, embellished his experience, and can’t bring himself to walk it back. But I suppose if I was open to read the doctrine on this I might see it differently. But I, like most civilians, am not.
Comment by Pundent Thursday, Sep 23, 21 @ 12:21 pm
Campaign: Jesse Sullivan set up a nonprofit that never began operations.
Voter: And he wants to be my latex salesman.
Comment by Marine Life Thursday, Sep 23, 21 @ 12:24 pm
This guy obviously isn’t ready for any political office never mind as Governor. He’s toast before the bread even made it into to toaster
Comment by Hard D Thursday, Sep 23, 21 @ 12:34 pm
Does anyone wonder why mister “I am an Illinois guy” set his not-for-profits up in California instead of Illinois?
I mean if he loves the land of Lincoln so much.
Comment by JS Mill Thursday, Sep 23, 21 @ 12:39 pm
=== Does anyone wonder===
Been wondering since jump street.
To that, specifically, I don’t need how the watch is made, but the actual time… why are his business interests, for profit or not, located in California…
What went on in 2016, 2017, where was the corporate footprint? California? Why?
Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Sep 23, 21 @ 12:41 pm
Q. Are you lying about leading combat patrols?
A. No…and Yes.
Q. How about the muddy Sangamon River water in your veins?
A. Clearly
Comment by Dotnonymous Thursday, Sep 23, 21 @ 12:43 pm
As to the story in the Sun Times, this bit of information on a $3200 overlooked fee for a corporation in California has got to be a serious candidate for the “Nothing Burger Newspaper Story” of the year.
As to the “did he pay taxes in California” concerns, a lot of us pay taxes in different states. Mr. Sullivan’s potential opponent, as we all know, must be paying taxes on his horse farm in Wisconsin and his estate in Lake Geneva Wisconsin. Does that mean we should be concerned that he may be in his heart of hearts a secret cheesehead or (heaven forbid) a Packers Fan.
As to the service to our nation by Mr. Sullivan and Mr. Schimpf, thank you for your service with the US Defense Department and the US Marines. Mr. Schimpf made an excellent point asking for clarification on Mr. Sullivan’s service In Afghanistan.
I would suggest to Mr. Sullivan that no matter how many times he tries to explain things, he should understand that he can explain this over and over again, but he can’t “understand” it for certain folks.
Comment by Back to the Future Thursday, Sep 23, 21 @ 1:28 pm
We just barely know this Sullivan character and we’re already seeing some bad press about him!
Comment by Levois J Thursday, Sep 23, 21 @ 1:32 pm
=== I don’t think this was blatant stolen valor but ===
Let’s be clear: It becomes “blatant stolen valor” the minute someone who was a military officer in Afghanistan says it was stolen valor.
And once that happens that is going to be all that Jesse Sullivan is talking about the rest of the campaign.
It gets a little more confusing because there aee lots of mentions of Sullivan getting the NATO Service Medal.
Since Sullivan was not actually a member of the US military branch, the rules for that medal seem to suggest he actually worked for NATO.
NATO is not….um….popular in some quarters. Keep digging, @rrhinton.
Comment by Thomas Paine Thursday, Sep 23, 21 @ 1:37 pm
Pieces of the “watch” also include, at least for me, why did he set up an entire series of LLCs under Alter Global LLC in 31 December 2020 according to the Illinois Secretary of State’s Corporate/LLC database? These being such recent LLCs, to me, are red flags when combined with the campaign announcement for Governor and the scrambling by his campaign to re-explain things. Frankly, I need to be able to see a working “watch” in order to determine the real “time”.
Comment by Anon221 Thursday, Sep 23, 21 @ 1:37 pm
===for a corporation in California===
You buried the lede. I know it was on purpose, but you buried it all the same.
===a lot of us pay taxes in different states.===
The corporation he touts… is a California entity, for profit or not. He’s not pro Illinois business in his own business dealings.
===I would suggest to Mr. Sullivan that no matter how many times he tries to explain things, he should understand that he can explain this over and over again, but he can’t “understand” it for certain folks.===
When it can be said it’s attempting stolen valor;
===So I actually I led our team on combat patrols.===
If you say he doesn’t owe an explanation… that’s… probably as bad as the quotes that got him in this mess.
Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Sep 23, 21 @ 1:38 pm
Arguably the best understanding of the long term problem Sullivan faces;
=== Let’s be clear: It becomes “blatant stolen valor” the minute someone who was a military officer in Afghanistan says it was stolen valor.
And once that happens that is going to be all that Jesse Sullivan is talking about the rest of the campaign.===
Whew.
Come April, May, and Sullivan gets on the ballot AND hasn’t cleared this up… a smart campaign, right around that time, will find that real veteran, and haunt Sullivan all summer, state fair… everywhere.
Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Sep 23, 21 @ 1:53 pm
It’s not quite stolen valor, but it’s stolen-valor-adjacent.
Comment by Give Us Barabbas Thursday, Sep 23, 21 @ 1:55 pm
Which is worse paying a $3,200 tax bill for a non profit late or a billionaire candidate for Governor campaigning on tax fairness for rich people engaging in a scheme to defraud Cook County property tax payers for $330,000?
You want to hold the current Governor to that same standard of not being pro Illinois in his business dealings by owning out of state companies and parking his wealth off shore? Of course not
Comment by Lucky Pierr Thursday, Sep 23, 21 @ 1:58 pm
He has posted pictures of himself in Afghanistan wearing the kinds of clothes Americans serving in Afghanistan used. He says he was not a “veteran” as most of us understand that term.
Afghanistan was a very difficult place for an American to serve. I may be mistaken, but I think serving in Afghanistan is something most of us respect.
Of course, he can try to explain his terms of service again.
As to the issue of who has the right to think of themselves as a Land of Lincoln person and where else they pay taxes, Pritzker has property in the Bahamas. I don’t think that that fact makes his Illinois citizenship suspect.
Comment by Back to the Future Thursday, Sep 23, 21 @ 2:01 pm
===You want to hold the current Governor to that same standard===
We went through all that in the last campaign.
Comment by Rich Miller Thursday, Sep 23, 21 @ 2:10 pm
=== He has posted pictures of himself in Afghanistan wearing the kinds of clothes Americans serving in Afghanistan used. He says he was not a “veteran” as most of us understand that term.
Afghanistan was a very difficult place for an American to serve. I may be mistaken, but I think serving in Afghanistan is something most of us respect.===
Sullivan did not, as a sworn member of *any* military branch, serve his country as a combat veteran… yet…
===So I actually I led our team on combat patrols.===
… Sullivan, in his own words, seemingly wants the status.
His words.
=== Pritzker has property===
1871 is an Illinois entity.
Where are/were Sullivan’s corporate entities?
Good tries… lol
Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Sep 23, 21 @ 2:12 pm
=== We went through all that in the last campaign.===
Rich answered that part, “asked and answered”
I look at 1871 and I look at Sullivan’s entities… why are/were they based in California?
Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Sep 23, 21 @ 2:14 pm
“You want to hold the current Governor to that same standard… Of course not”
Do I enhance my argument by answering my own questions?…of course not.
Comment by Dotnonymous Thursday, Sep 23, 21 @ 2:18 pm
=== You want to hold the current Governor to that same standard of not===
Maybe you should ask yourself why you now are absolving the governor is the same standard *you* want is to absolve Sullivan?
Why the change of heart?
Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Sep 23, 21 @ 2:22 pm
“And then I was deployed, you know, in uniform with a weapon out on combat patrols every day in Helmand, Afghanistan.” - Jesse Sullivan
Did he use his weapon of war…as a civilian?
Comment by Dotnonymous Thursday, Sep 23, 21 @ 2:25 pm
If you are going to attempt to do what Mr. Sullivan actually accomplished you need to connect with Silicon Valley folks. Probably a third of all listed tech companies have their roots in Silicon Valley and if you went to Stanford that also probably lead him to Silicon Valley to try to achieve his goals of employment in difficult areas of the world.
1871 is a really great success right here in Illinois and hats off to Gov. Pritzker on working on that project. Of course, that doesn’t mean Mr. Sullivan’s work in third world nations is also not important work.
Still early and who knows if Mr. Sullivan can get petition passers to even get on the ballot.
Comment by Back to the Future Thursday, Sep 23, 21 @ 2:29 pm
This…
=== If you are going to attempt to do what Mr. Sullivan actually accomplished you need to connect with Silicon Valley folks. Probably a third of all listed tech companies have their roots in Silicon Valley and if you went to Stanford that also probably lead him to Silicon Valley to try to achieve his goals of employment in difficult areas of the world.===
… is undercut by this…
===1871 is a really great success right here in Illinois===
Indeed. I don’t even know if Schimpf can get on the ballot. Rabine? Dunno… Bailey has that Facebook thingy to gin up things I suppose.
Yes, we’ll see.
Be well.
Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Sep 23, 21 @ 2:38 pm
Brian Williams got demoted to near invisibility because he said the helicopter he was traveling was shot at when the reality was helicopters in the same area a short time later were shot at.
In my opinion, the implications that Mr. Sullivan is trying to make are far more problematic than what Brian Williams said. Not only that, Sullivan’s statements seem designed to make him look good. Mr. Williams’s statements were said while he was talking up the heroism of his military escorts, not for personal gain.
Comment by SomeGuy Thursday, Sep 23, 21 @ 2:59 pm
=engaging in a scheme to defraud Cook County property tax payers=
Can you point me to the indictment? Otherwise, this is a rightwing phantasm.
Listen, Sullin=vans initial announcement was, in my estimation, an intentional attempt to parse words to the extent that people might think he was US military veteran.
Who ever talked him into that should be fired.
His attempts to explain or answer the questions about his service have been laughable.
All he had to say is - sorry for the confusion, I am not and have never been an active member of the US military and never led a combat mission in my role as a civilian. I did carry a weapon, Afghanistan is a very dangerous place and our work was aided by active duty military. I thank them for their support and service.
And by doing something like that he is out of the doghouse, recognized for doing good work in a dangerous place which took some courage.
Instead he chooses to try and be too smart by half and play word games.
They should have known this would be an issue, he is running for governor not homecoming king.
If you don’t get that you are probably beyond help.
Comment by JS Mill Thursday, Sep 23, 21 @ 3:14 pm
Jesse Sullivan didn’t lead any combat patrols.
He lied about leading combat patrols.
Full stop.
Embedded in his claim that he led combat patrols is the suggestion that he was engaged in combat in “the most dangerous province in Afghanistan.”
I have not seen the qu3stions asked or answered about whether Jesse Sullivan was a combatant or engaged in combat.
Anyone?
I also find it a little bizarre that given his experiences in Afghanistan and Haiti, Sullivan so far has commented on neither Trump’s troop withdrawal from Afghanistan as implemented by Biden nor the Haitian refuge problem.
Can no one get Jesse Sullivan to comment on the use of force or threat of force against Haitian refugees?
And if he is hiding from these issues, why is he hiding?
I’ve got a Jack Ryan/Mark Kirk feeling about this guy.
Comment by Juvenal Thursday, Sep 23, 21 @ 4:05 pm
I would think if he wants to come clean, he would fix his Alter.vc page which said he led a counter insurgency group.
Comment by A Jack Thursday, Sep 23, 21 @ 4:07 pm
The human terrain system is a fun concept. The program in itself was controversial and had several ethical questions and several civilians died while performing that work in some pretty horrific ways.
The contracts for human terrain systems contractors usually started around a quarter million dollars for a handful of months in Afghanistan with pretty generous pay stateside which included room and board. It as a very expensive and ineffective program that got scrapped and now we get guys like this dude, that thinks wearing fatigues while getting paid more than the commanding general did makes him a soldier.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_Terrain_System
Comment by Candy Dogood Thursday, Sep 23, 21 @ 4:19 pm
And Mr. “Life over Luxury” could have easily joined the Air Guard or Army Guard if he wanted to serve his state and country. My guess is that he preferred the luxury of contractor pay over life in the military.
Comment by A Jack Thursday, Sep 23, 21 @ 4:28 pm
===You do not need to be a commissioned officer to have command authority===
This might be unnecessary to say, but I don’t think anyone working as a human terrain system/human terrain team contractor ever had anything resembling official “command authority.” It is also worth noting that the program itself had a lot of fraud as the companies providing the individuals had a tendency to throw anyone into the program that had anything remotely resembling the qualifications and that the process for becoming one of these contractors was not competitive nor was it selective.
Comment by Candy Dogood Thursday, Sep 23, 21 @ 4:48 pm
I’m waiting for his opponents to go after this claim.
not paying taxes might be a bad look in a general election, in the GOP primary in Trump’s party it probably helps him so he might want to own it proudly instead of this paperwork error baloney.
Comment by Siriously Friday, Sep 24, 21 @ 9:08 am