Mark Seavey

Mark C. Seavey, an Assistant Director of the National Legislative Commission of the American Legion [1], is a co-founder of Vets for Freedom (VFF), an organization that contests and condemns the views of Democratic Congressman John P. Murtha, who is calling for the United States to pull troops from Iraq.

Seavey, who claims that he "and many other veterans" support the war in Iraq, "actually never served in Iraq at all. Sergeant Seavey is an Afghanistan Veteran, that is not only involved with the Veterans For Freedom, a notorious right-wing swiftboating organization, but also is on the payroll of the American Legion, a Veteran Service Organization who has supported the Iraq War openly." [2]

In January 2006, Seavey posted on PoliPundit that he is "in Law School" and a "full time federal lobbyist for a veterans organization." [3] In 2003, Seavey was listed as a lobbyist for the American Legion by the Center for Public Integrity. [4]

• Trustee, Soldiers' Angels

Profiles

According to his Vets for Freedom profile, Seavey is "a former Army Sergeant and graduate of The Citadel. He recently returned from Afghanistan where he served with the Third Battalion, 116 Infantry, based in Woodstock, Virginia. He works for a veterans' organization in Washington and lives in Alexandria, Virginia."

• Note: Co B 3d Bn 116th Inf of the Virginia National Guard is located in Woodstock, VA. [5]

Related SourceWatch Resources

• Swiftboating John Murtha
• Vets for Freedom: People

External links

• "A Tarnished Tribute? Made-In-China Medals Lose Their Luster For Some," Washington Post (DelegateBlack.com), January 10, 1999: "Sgt. Mark Seavey, one of the more than 100 members of Charlie Company of Leesburg's [Virginia] Stonewall Brigade who received the medals." (re service in Bosnia)

Note: Co C 3d Bn 116th Inf of the Virginia National Guard is located in Leesburg, VA. [6]

• "Statement of Mark C. Seavey, Assistant Director, Legislative Division, the American Legion, Before the Military Personnel Subcommittee on Armed Services, U.S. House of Representatives, on Changes in the Election Process, May 9, 2001. Posted by GlobalSecurity.org.
• Philip Shenon, "Some Say Politics Are at Play as Veterans Bill Stalls in the Senate," New York Times (TheConservativeGuy.com), October 20, 2002: "Mark C. Seavey of the legion's legislative division, which lobbies Congress on behalf of the group's nearly three million members."
• Blondie Rainey, Forum Entry, CommercialAppeal.com, March 1, 2004: "... my good friend Mark Seavey, left today for active duty. He re-enlisted in the Army. A graduate of the Citadel, Mark was attending law school full time in the evenings and working full time as a lobbyist for the American Legion."
• Michelle Malkin, "Video: A Veteran Tells off Murtha/Moran," MichelleMalkin.com, January 7, 2006.
• Scott, "Saluting Sergeant Seavey," Power Line Blog, January 7, 2006.
• "Murtha's Military Record is being attacked!!!" Veterans for Common Sense, January 14, 2006.
• Robert Hanafin, "Why exactly are the Veterans for Bush and Right-Wing media spreading RUMORS about John Murtha's Military Service and questioning his support for the troops?" Veterans for Common Sense Blog, January 15, 2006.
• dbuntz, Forum Entry: "OEF Vet 'informs' a couple congressmen," AisforArmy.com, January 17, 2006: "That's Mark Seavey!!...good buddy of mine. I was with him in Afghanistan. He's going to Law School at George Mason Univ and used to work at American Legion headquarters in DC. ... Mark also made a hell of a ruckus after he came back from Bosnia and the medal they awarded him was made in China."
• Transcript: CNN Sunday Morning, CNN, January 22, 2006.
• Wade Zirkle, "Troops in Support Of the War," Washington Post, April 13, 2006.
• "Wash. Post op-ed page hosted disingenuous attack on Reps. Moran and Murtha," Media Matters for America, April 13, 2006. "NOTE: Mark Seavey has told Media Matters for America that he joined Vets for Freedom in February, after the op-ed was submitted to The Washington Post in January."