Swift Boat Liar admits he didn't witness anything

[quaoar]

http://www.katu.com/news/story.asp?ID=70418

OREGON CITY, Ore. - Clackamas County veterans are calling for the resignation of an assistant district attorney who appeared in television ads attacking Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry's military record.

In the ad, and a sworn affidavit, Al French says he served with Kerry and that the Purple Heart medals Kerry received were obtained under false pretenses.

However, French admitted later that he did not witness the events mentioned in the affidavit and was relying on what his friends told him.

Veteran Don Stewart says he believes it was outrageous that French would try to smear Kerry's military record.

"Mr. French signed an affidavit defaming John Kerry's military service and then he admitted that he had no first-hand knowledge of what he swore to," Stewart said on Monday. "Someone who the community trusts to carry out the law cannot be lying in sworn, legal affidavits."

On Monday, French would neither confirm nor deny the reports that he did not witness the events mentioned in the affidavit.

The Oregon State Bar says they have received enough complaints to look into the matter, with the main question being whether French violated ethics.

But French admitted it to the Oregonian:

http://www.oregonlive.com/news/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/front_page/1093089856215831.xml

Alfred French, a Clackamas County prosecutor who also served in Vietnam, called Kerry a liar in a television ad. In an interview with The Oregonian, he acknowledged he didn't witness any of the combat incidents involving Kerry but was relying on reports from three friends who were there.

On Friday, French said he firmly believes the accounts of his military colleagues.

"These are people whose statements I trust because they are people I served in combat with," he said.

[DoYouEverWonder]

1. Sounds more like the Sinking Boat Liars

to me.

[speedoo]

2. What an idiot.

If Mr. French has any brains at all, he should immediately:

1. Resign his position.
2. Make a public apology to Kerry and disassociate himself from all the Swiftliars activities.
3. Appeal to the Oregon bar to keep his license.
4. If 3 feels, look for another career.

He is toast.

[EST]

4. You forgot the rat poison cocktail.

n/t

[Seabiscuit]

17. He should also voluntarily resign from the Bar

He's a disgrace to licensed attorneys everywhere.

[EST]

3. Damn! Wouldn't it be great if we actually had reporters on

the tv news shows? I've been wondering if, maybe there really are no other personnel except the heads and a couple of producers.

[Tandalayo_Scheisskopf]

5. For this member of The Party of Personal Responsibility...

It is now time to be held personally responsible for his actions. He deserves to be hounded unmercifully, until he resigns. He is a liar. For an officer of the court and a prosecutor, nothing could be more damning to his reputation. Not that he has one any longer.

[Qutzupalotl]

6. Well, that's good enough for me.

"These are people whose statements I trust because they are people I served in combat with."
:wtf:

I suppose if John O'NEILL said Kerry was a liar, YOU would have to say Kerry was a liar. Oh, that's right, you did.

What's your integrity going for these days?

[AmerDem]

7. Fucking losers!

These no good bastards are ripping apart the fabric of our country!

[Norquist Nemesis]

8. There go the numbers! Drip, drip, drip

That has always been one of O'Niell's main talking points...how can you disputer over 250 fellow veterans who served with Kerry? Take that you slimeball. You and the rest of them are going down!!!

[quaoar]

9. French's boss is defending him

This is from the Oregonian article linked above:

French's boss, Clackamas County District Attorney John Foote, said his office received dozens of calls criticizing French, but he defended his deputy's right to express his political opinions.

"Mr. French has worked in the Clackamas County District Attorney's Office for more than 20 years," Foote said. "During that time, he has handled thousands of cases. His reputation in the legal community is excellent."

[Old and In the Way]

10. His reputation in the legal community is excellent.

His reputation with regards to what he stated on his affidavit isn't.

If he's willing to assassinate the character of someone running for President, I'd be very concerned about the extent that he'd be willing to distort/break the law to get his convictions.

Love to see the Liars falling out of the boat one by one. When the last of these liars are exposed, Kerry's reputation will still be clean...and Bush will still be an AWOL loser.

[NewYorkerfromMass]

14. make that... WAS excellent

what an idiot. Signed affidavit too!

[Seabiscuit]

20. Affidavits are sworn under oath. He committed perjury.

That's a felony. That's grounds for permanent disbarment. He's an unmitigated discrace.

[markses]

11. It is not a question of his right to express himself

The problem is that he expressed himself in a sworn affidavit, attesting to events he hadn't witnessed. I can't express myself thusly on a witness stand, nor in a sworn deposition. It has nothing to do with my first amendment rights, and they damn well know it. As an officer of the court, he should resign immediately. As a prosecutor who knows the standards of evidence, and the status of a sworn affidavit, he should be disbarred for a gross ethics violation. All of this is very simple. I hope they nail his ass to the wall. He needs to know that second-hand testimony posing as first-hand testimony undermines our basic principles of evidence, and therefore our basic faith in the law. He should be mightily ashamed of his actions.

[quaoar]

12. If I recall correctly

Isn't this the exact same thing that got the Secret Service agent who testified in the Martha Stewart trial indicted?

[nomatrix]

16. Hearsay wrapped in Innuendo, inside a Rumor

I suspect someone has something on this guy. Why else would he put his reputation at stake....oh ya, he's a republican. Never mind.

[Indiana_Dem]

13. French's boss ought to tell that to the employer who fired the heckler at

one of Bush's rally's the other day. He got fired for expressing his political opinions and the media nor any 527 group didn't even record that one!:mad: :grr: :nuke:

[EST]

15. Yes...Keith Olberman had him on countdown tonight.

n/t

[Carla in Ca]

18. Swiftliar Alfred French

It is so amazing. I was just going to post a link to this very
article (good job, Quaoar).
This idea may be nothing but I find it ironic that this ad is mostly based on stories from others, not the person doing the talking; like Alfred French.
This new ad showing Senator Kerry's remarks before Congress is also based on accounts of others, not Kerry himself (a fact that the ad omits, making it look like it is Kerry's account).

Can this commonality be exposed;exploited?

Just a thought

[Guaranteed]

19. Imagine that...all 200+ of those Smearvets didn't personally witness

Kerry's actions on those boats!

[Seabiscuit]

21. Everyone of the Swift Boat Frauds are liars

And now we've caught one (and attorney, nonetheless) in perjury in a sworn affidavit. NONE of them were with Kerry on the days in question. NONE of the witenessed crapola. Kerry's right to sue - even though the FCC is worthless. It makes a strong point with the right-wing media propaganda - they can't ignore a lawsuit, regardless of the outcome.

These maniacs whould be forced to go serve in Iraq with painted targets on their backs.

[0rganism]

22. Oh Sweet Joy! I had a feeling French was goin' down...

...when he signed an affadavit on hearsay.

That kind of shit does NOT go over well with the State Bar.

If I were him, I'd change my last name to Freedom and try to get a front-office job with the RNC.