RECAP: Iowa Veterans Condemn Hinson's Support of Further Escalation of War in Iran

RECAP: Iowa Veterans Condemn Hinson’s Support of Further Escalation of War in Iran

Iowa Veteran: “There has been no oversight by the U.S. Senate, and there won’t be if Congresswoman Hinson is elected, but I think there will be if Josh Turek is elected.” 

Des Moines, IA – Today, Iowa veterans came together to condemn Ashley Hinson’s recent comments supporting further escalation of the war in Iran that she has voted seven times to continue, even as other Iowa Republicans said enough is enough. 

Iowa has already paid a unique price for the Hinson-backed war. The conflict has taken the lives of three Iowa servicemembers, and “gas prices in Iowa are rising faster than the US average” as “record diesel prices” are squeezing Iowa farmers during harvest.

Hinson, a multi-millionaire, has repeatedly defended the war in public and downplayed the harm it has caused Iowans, falsely claiming the war is “out of sight, out of mind” for Iowans who have paid an average of $860 more in gas alone since the war began. Meanwhile, Hinson has raked in more than $200,000 from Big Oil companies that are reporting “[their highest level [of profits] in years](https://meidasnews.com/news/ashley-hinson-got-big-money-from-oil-companies-after-repeatedly-voting-for-the-iran-war)” at the expense of Iowans.

“Ashley Hinson voted seven times to continue the conflict regardless of whatever has been happening, what she says, that’s been her record. And with the discussion of continuing and escalating the conflict with Iran, she has continued to say that she would be supportive of that,” said Steve Warnstadt, Retired General, U.S Army; Desert Storm Veteran and Iowa National Guardsman. “Josh has made it very clear over his course of service that he’s willing to stand up to whoever it is, whether it’s Democrats or Republicans, to try to do the right thing, try to provide some of that accountability.”

“There are a lot of costs to this war. There has been no oversight by the U.S. Senate and there won’t be if Congresswoman Hinson is elected, but I think there will be if Josh Turek is elected,” said Ray Walton, Vietnam Veteran, U.S. Army.  

“I feel like the mission isn’t clear anymore. Eventually, we’re going to just deplete our oil reserves. Oil prices are going to balloon further from where they’re at right now. There’s not any transparency or oversight. It’s just kind of a blank check. The Department of Defense or War, whatever you want to call it now, hasn’t been transparent as far as what are the conditions on the ground for our service members,” said Justin Smith, Operation Enduring Freedom Veteran, U.S. Army. “And I think electing Josh will get that transparency, some of that degree back, some of that accountability.” 

“I know Josh will ask the hard question about accountability and oversight. Oversight is not saying ‘I don’t like it.’ Oversight is saying ‘you guys are doing something not necessary. You’re spending money that’s not necessary. You’re asking questions that aren’t necessary. You’re irritating our allies, which is not necessary,’” said Jim Romar, U.S. Army Veteran. 

“What I saw working with Josh at the Capitol is that even being in the minority party, when he asked for a meeting from individuals from either party or from the Senate, people took it, and they really respected him,” said Dan Tallon, U.S. Army Veteran. 

“I support Josh because I think he would put an end to this war. And this war is personal to me because we lost three Iowans and one of those three was Sergeant Declan Coady of West Des Moines. Declan was a classmate and a friend of my grandson’s at Valley High School. He was an Eagle Scout. He was just everything you’d want in a young man. And when he was killed, my grandson and his mother came back and I accompanied them to his funeral. And it was a very sad, sad event. Never should have happened. Same age as my grandson. So it’s personal. That’s why I’m really opposed to this thing and I think Josh would be the right one, way better than his opponent,” said Michael Scholer, Vietnam Veteran, U.S. Army.