Oh, I’m sorry: I temporarily forgot there for a moment that the official language of this country isn’t German*. As apparently so do did current Democratic incumbent Julia Brownley… at least, that’s the charitable possibility. The more accurate one? Well, let Republican challenger Jeff Gorell explain. Or perhaps just wax wroth:

Statement by Jeff Gorell, candidate for California’s 26th Congressional District, regarding use of foreign or fake military officer photographs in Congresswoman Julia Brownley’s taxpayer-funded government mailers:

“It’s been brought to my attention by concerned local veterans in the 26th Congressional District that Congresswoman Julia Brownley recently sent district voters a mass-mailing funded at taxpayer expense designed to imply that Brownley has the support of local military veterans.”

“Sadly, the overtly political franking mailer proudly portrays an image – next to Brownley’s photo – of an officer in uniform that is NOT a military uniform of any branch of the armed forces of the United States. The emblem in this photo appears to be that of the German Luftwaffe, a German military branch from the mid-1930’s.” (See below)

“The photograph is likely a purchased stock photo of a model in a costume contrived from various emblems to look like an official naval uniform. However it is clearly not an American Navy Uniform, or that of any U.S. military branch.”

The Daily Caller went and took a look, and couldn’t find an actual uniform combo for the modern Luftwaffe that matches this outfit: the website thinks that this bolsters the stock photo scenario, and I agree.  It is, I think, telling that a Democratic member of the House Veterans Affairs committee can’t tell our military personnel from any others.  Admittedly, it’s not as bad as the time that a sitting Congressman decided to honor the Soviet Union – or the time that the DNC honored the Russian Navy – but it would be nice if the Democrats started using military veterans as something else besides mobile props.

Note: I did not say that such a thing would be likely.

Moe Lane (crosspost)

PS: Erick Brockway raises an interesting point: are any of the people on that flyer of Brownley’s actually from her district? – Oh, I slay myself.

PPS: I have no idea if the German in the title is grammatical, sorry.  Because I am an American writing about an American political campaign.

PPPS: Elementary fairness requires me to note that the modern German Luftwaffe has, quite deliberately, absolutely zero connection with the one from World War II.  Although I am sure that Jeff Gorell is as relieved as I am that at least Brownley’s staff can tell the difference between an American soldier, and a Nazi.  You can’t completely count on a Democratic campaign shop being able to make that particular distinction.

*Some of you may be surprised to hear that German was not, in fact, almost made the official language of the USA.  I certainly was.  Fact-checking:  It saved me from an embarrassing error; it might have saved Representative Brownley, too.