Its too damn bad that a bill this important gets it press for this.
O-5, state senator investigated over use of uniform
By Mike Smith - The Associated Press Posted : Friday Feb 8, 2008 7:55:43 EST
INDIANAPOLIS — The Army Reserve is investigating a soldier and state Sen. Mike Delph because the soldier wore his uniform at a Statehouse news conference while testifying for an immigration bill Delph is sponsoring.
Delph said the investigation concerned Lt. Col. Ray Mejia’s wearing his Reserve uniform while speaking at Monday’s news conference, as well as Delph’s participation in the matter.
The 310th Expeditionary Sustainment Command, of which Delph and Mejia are members, confirmed an investigation “into the officer’s participation in this political event,” according to an e-mail from Capt. Adam Jackson, public affairs officer for the 310th.
Military policy prohibits military personnel from performing political activities while wearing their military uniform or while on military duty, therefore giving the impression that they are representing the views of the military or that the military supports a particular candidate or cause, the e-mail said.
Delph, who is a company commander of the 310th, said he was notified about the investigation Thursday morning and he expected to be questioned about it that evening. He said he and Mejia had agreed to cooperate fully, and nobody was saying now that they had done anything wrong.
Mejia, who is a member of Delph’s unit, declined to comment other than to say that the matter was between him and the military.
Delph is sponsoring a bill that would punish employers who knowingly hire illegal workers. It passed the Senate 37-11 last week and is now before the House.
During Monday’s news conference, Mejia talked about how he was an immigrant from Mexico who became a U.S. citizen through legal means.
Delph said Mejia told him that he supported the immigration bill and asked how he could help its chances of passage, and they decided to hold a news conference. Delph said he told Mejia to wear his uniform “as a visual indication to the public of how you became a citizen.”
“We were trying to show the public that there is a right way to become a citizen and a wrong way to become a citizen, and he did it the right way, and this is a result of the fruits of his labor,” Delph said.
According to a news release issued about Monday’s news conference, Mejia has numerous military decorations and has served America’s military for 32 years.
“We both felt like we did the right thing and if there are consequences to what we did, we’ll both accept them,” he said.
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