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Napolitano "Contrite"

By Doug Bandow on 4.25.09 @ 11:40AM

Ain't that sweet. Janet Napolitano is "very contrite" over her department's warning that returning vets might join right-wing militias. Reports the Washington Post:

Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano apologized directly today to Commander Dave Rehbein, head of the American Legion, after a recently leaked DHS intelligence report suggested that right-wing extremist groups might recruit military veterans returning from overseas deployments. The 45-minute meeting occurred at DHS headquarters in Washington this afternoon.

A detailed account of the meeting from the American Legion states that "Hunched forward with head bowed, the Secretary of Homeland Security looked the National Commander of The American Legion straight in the eye and said, very quietly, 'I'm sorry, Dave.'"

"The report was not worthy of this department, or of veterans," Napolitano said to Rehbein, according Legion spokesman Craig Roberts, who attended the meeting. "It was very badly written and should never have been released," she said.

The secretary "was very contrite" and that both her words and body language reflected her sincerity, Roberts said in an interview.

In her own written statement after the meeting Napolitano said, "We connected meaningfully about the important issues that have emerged over recent days, and I offered him my sincere apologies for any offense to our veterans caused by this report."

At one level it is good that the usual Washington game still plays out even when the slur is made against the Right. Whatever Napolitano's personal feelings, politics forced her to make the pilgrimage to the American Legion.

But the fact that she allegedly "connected meaningfully," whatever that means, with Legion officials cannot disguise the fact that the department report reflects what some on the Left really imagine--if you don't believe in the Leviathan state taxing and spending all your money, and you have some connection to guns (whether in or out of the military), you are a threat to a liberal social order. We saw the same mindset with the TSA's grilling of the employee of Ron Paul's Campaign for Liberty because he was carrying cash from a conference he had organized.

Napolitano contrite. We'll see. How long do you think before the Department of Homeland Security launches its next attack on individual liberty?

View all comments (10) | Leave a comment

WendyG| 4.25.09 @ 1:19PM

Well she changed her tune from "that's all they going to get."

Not a nice woman IMO. At least she appears to be some sort of woman. The unwomanly sort. :)

Eric Dondero| 4.25.09 @ 1:25PM

You know, as much as I hate the bitch, I gotta give her a little credit here. It takes some courage for any human being to look another straight in the eye, and say "I'm sorry."

As an American Legion member myself, I'll give her points on that, and I appreciate the gesture.

Now, when is she going to apologize to the Libertarian Party and libertarian Republicans she also offended?

rdman| 4.25.09 @ 1:47PM

An apology from this Socialist/Marxist doesn't cut it... these people have no principles, integrity or morals. The end justifies the means. I'm sorry the Ameican Legion and others caved to this liar.

The only remedy is for Napolitano and her ilk to resign in disgrace and shame.

Denise-Mary| 4.25.09 @ 3:30PM

An apology at this point is meaningless. The damage was already done. "Words matter," remember? And you cannot take them back, once spoken (or written).

William| 4.25.09 @ 5:59PM

Pushed her mask back in place, eh? The skull was showing too much I guess.

Crypto-commissar hag.

Glenn Cassel AMH1(AW) USN RET| 4.25.09 @ 9:46PM

Contrite?!?!?!?
I seriously doubt that anyone of the cabinet can even comprehend the meaning of the word.
Contrite for nappy would be kneeling at every grave marker in Arlington and apologizing. And I do mean every marker and then do the same at the Tomb of The Unknown on national television. That might work for this Old Retired Petty Officer. I said might. I didn't say it would for certain. I was in The Navy during the peanut farmer's time in office and for a short bit of billy jeff's and I owe none of them a damn thing.

MattSwartz| 4.25.09 @ 10:04PM

Now if we could only get Jane Harman to show some contrition for trying to obstruct an investigation into foreign spying, we'd be about all contrited-up, wouldn't we?

http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/editorials/la-ed-harman23-2009apr23,0,372649.story

No such luck, I guess. This longtime advocate of warrant-less wiretaps is just outraged that she was recorded on a warrant-mandated one. Maybe she should quit talking to people who are under investigation if she's so concerned about her privacy...

TennesseeVolunteer| 4.27.09 @ 8:04AM

What about a apology for all of the people who are against high taxes? Or the people against abortion? Or big government?
Those groups were cited too!
The American Legion commander was a gentleman, but threw in his cards too early. Many different kinds of people were painted with the same brush, not just veterans.

Crusader| 4.27.09 @ 8:44AM

Yeah but---

The memo is still out there. Its kinda like a judge telling the jurors to "disregard the previous testimony." You can't just wipe it from your memory. You can't unsay something once you say it.