Rand Paul “Mocked” for Comments on Military Exercise While Texas Governor Works to Calm Nerves
By Jeremy Peters. Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky has been mocked by liberal pundits who accused him of fanning conspiracy theories about a military exercise along the Texas border, an event that some on the far right believe is a covert effort to impose martial law.
But in an interview this weekend, Mr. Paul said he had no idea what the training exercise — known as Jade Helm — was when he was first asked about it last month on an Iowa radio program.
“Someone on a radio program asked me what it was. I didn’t know,” Mr. Paul said after he christened a new work space for his presidential campaign in the Bay Area. He expressed befuddlement at how his comments about “that ridiculous Jade something” had been blown out of proportion.
“I said sure, I’ll ask my staff to look into it because I didn’t know what it was,” he said.
The comments that drew ridicule by people like Bill Maher, who accused Mr. Paul of pandering to the right-wing fringe, occurred on the Jan Mickelson program. Mr. Mickelson brought up the exercise, telling the senator, “I’d like to know what the rest of the story is on that.” (Read more from “Rand Paul Plays Down Comments on Military Exercise After Mockery” HERE)
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Greg Abbott Says He’s Working to Calm Some Texans Upset Over Jade Helm 15 Exercise
By NBC News. Governor Greg Abbott, R-TX, says he’s trying to bring calm to some Texans about a military exercise that will take place in Texas and six other states.
The eight-week exercise, known as Jade Helm 15, will begin July 15 and involves U.S. Specials Operations Forces such as Navy Seals and Green Berets. They will use public and private lands to train for overseas missions.
The prospect of armed federal troops in Texas has ignited a host of concerns and speculation about the military’s motives — ranging from the military’s intention to impose martial law to a government conspiracy to launch a hostile takeover of Texas to taking away people’s gun rights. (Read more from this story HERE)
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