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ICYMI: ODP Veterans Caucus Chair Connie Pillich Pens Op-Ed Slamming J.R. Majewski for Lying About His Military Service

“J.R. Majewski is bad for Ohio. He’s bad for our country. And northwest Ohio voters deserve better.”

Columbus, OH —  In case you missed it, Ohio Democratic Party Veterans and Military Community Caucus Chair Connie Pillich penned an op-ed for the Sandusky Register that takes J.R. Majewski to task for lying about his military service. Pillich, a former Air Force Captain, points out how Majewski’s lies dishonor Ohio’s veterans and servicemembers and how he’s exaggerating his military service to score political points. 

“I’m a veteran myself, and the Ohio veterans I know are rightfully proud of their service. No veteran I know would exaggerate that service or lie to serve their own political interests. But J.R. Majewski chose to put politics over principles, and Ohio veterans are mad as hell,” wrote Veterans Caucus Chair Connie Pillich. 

Read Pillich’s full op-ed in the Sandusky Register here and below: 

  • Serving your country with honor is one of the most important things any one person can do. Lying about that service is one of the most despicable.

  • J.R. Majewski has lied about his military service, dishonoring the generations of Ohioans who have put on the uniform in service to their nation. And it’s yet another reminder to the voters of Ohio why Majewski belongs nowhere near the halls of Congress.

  • It was bad enough that J.R. Majewski was at the U.S. Capitol during the attack on January 6, paid for others to join him and then blamed law enforcement for what happened.

  • But now, the Associated Press has reported that J.R. misrepresented his service in Afghanistan, calling himself a combat veteran who deployed to Afghanistan but providing no evidence to back up his claims.

  • Then, it was uncovered that J.R. lied about why he wasn’t eligible to reenlist in the U.S. Air Force, claiming it was because of a ‘brawl,’ when in reality he was caught driving drunk and demoted.

  • J.R. Majewski is bad for Ohio. He’s bad for our country. And northwest Ohio voters deserve better.

  • And it is so odd: J.R. served his country. That’s all he ever needed to say. Instead, he chose to dishonor his fellow veterans by exaggerating his service and lying – all so he could get himself elected to political office.

  • I’m a veteran myself, and the Ohio veterans I know are rightfully proud of their service. No veteran I know would exaggerate that service or lie to serve their own political interests. 

  • But J.R. Majewski chose to put politics over principles, and Ohio veterans are mad as hell.

  • If he can’t muster the courage to tell the truth, he should drop out of the race. His actions don’t reflect the values of northwest Ohio, and they certainly don’t reflect the values of the U.S. military or our veteran community.

  • For most Ohio veterans, nothing’s more important than serving their country. For J.R., it seems, nothing’s more important than serving himself.

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ICYMI: Ohio Veterans Slam J.R. Majewski For Lying About Military Service

“J.R. Majewski lying about fighting in combat absolutely disqualifies him from ever being able to serve in Congress.” 

Columbus, OH — In case you missed it, WEWS-TV in Cleveland shared the disappointment, anger and outrage of Ohio military veterans after a bombshell Associated Press report alleges J.R. Majewski lied about his military service record, including his record in Afghanistan. Majewski often uses his military service as a campaign talking point and ads by Majewski supporters used the words “Afghanistan War Veteran” on screen. Following the AP report, national Republicans pulled down ads they had scheduled for Majewski and now veterans across Ohio are demanding answers from Majewski. 

“He just does a disservice to his brothers and sisters. You don’t have to puff out your chest and say, ‘Well, I did this, but it’s a secret.’ No, it was not a secret,” said veteran Bob Shields in the story. 

Read more from WEWS-TV below and watch the interviews with Ohio veterans here: 

  • Military veterans in Ohio are reacting with disappointment and anger following congressional candidate J.R. Majewski’s alleged misrepresentation of his Air Force service. Military documents obtained by the Associated Press do not tell the story that Majewski has been sharing on his campaign trail.
  • The candidate from Toledo has been representing himself as an Air Force combat veteran who served in Afghanistan after 9/11. Northeast Ohio vets said he is acting against the Air Force honor code.
  • “I’m disappointed that anybody should claim more than what they did,” 30-year veteran Bob Shields of Bay Village said. “Take pride in what you did.”
  • Majewski’s military experience shows he was deployed but far away from any combat. He spent six months in Qatar loading planes, which Shields said is a valuable job but definitely not combat.
  • “Integrity always,” Shields added, referencing the Air Force honor code. “If he’s claiming something that he cannot support, he’s going against his core values.”
  • During a rally on Friday, the candidate doubled down on his claims.
  • Both Republican and Democratic leaders seem to not be buying the story. The National Republican Congressional Committee announced it will cancel an approximate $1 million ad buy in the race.
  • “He just does a disservice to his brothers and sisters,” Shields said. “You don’t have to puff out your chest and say, ‘Well, I did this, but it’s a secret.’ No, it was not a secret.”
  • Veterans are asking for the documents that prove he was in Afghanistan, but until then, many are asking for an apology, saying this isn’t a party issue — but an issue of honesty and service.
  • “J.R. Majewski lying about fighting in combat absolutely disqualifies him from ever being able to serve in Congress,” said Lucas County Marine veteran Ralph Green.
  • The Majewski team reached out to News 5 to offer an interview with a service member it claimed would corroborate that Majewski served in Afghanistan. The interview would have to be conducted with the condition that News 5 not reveal who this person is, due to “concern about harassment,” according to a campaign spokesperson. News 5 declined that interview because it does not reach the station’s standards for providing anonymity.
  • We asked for additional information, such as a supervisor who was stationed in Afghanistan whose records prove that they were physically there, or for an on-camera interview with full documentation, but those requests were not answered by the Majewski campaign.

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