MJ’s DC Meeting Deception
Hegar Gave To Three Texas Republicans—Including Senator Cornyn—In August 2011, Which She Blamed On Wanting To Secure A Meeting
In 2011, Hegar Contributed $10 To Sen. John Cornyn’s Campaign Via Votesane PAC. (Federal Election Commission Website, Accessed 6/30/20)
(Federal Election Commission Website, Accessed 6/30/20)
On The Same Day In 2011, Hegar Also Contributed $10 To Then-Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX) And Rep. John Carter (R-TX). (Federal Election Commission Website, Accessed 6/30/20)
(Federal Election Commission Website, Accessed 6/30/20)
(Federal Election Commission Website, Accessed 6/30/20)
Hegar Acknowledged Her Contribution To Cornyn, Alleging That It Was “Because I Couldn’t Get A Meeting With Him If I Wasn’t On His Donor List.” “Records with the Federal Election Commission show that Hegar gave a $10 donation to Cornyn in August 2011 via a political action committee. When West brought it up at the debate, Hegar immediately pushed back, saying she was ‘disappointed because I think this is why people tune out from politics.’ She also told West, ‘You know that’s not true and you’re intentionally misleading voters.’ However, Hegar then acknowledged donating to Cornyn — she said it was $25 instead of the $10 that records show — saying it was ‘because I couldn’t get a meeting with him if I wasn’t on his donor list.’” (Patrick Svitek, “MJ Hegar, Royce West Spar On Party Loyalty, Ethics In Debate,” The Texas Tribune, 6/29/20)
- Hegar: “That Is When I Made The Commitment To Run For Office Because It’s Disgusting That You Should Have To Write A Check For $25 To Get A Meeting With Your Representatives.” “‘That is when I made the commitment to run for office because it’s disgusting that you should have to write a check for $25 to get a meeting with your representatives,’ Hegar told West. ‘It’s a broken system — it’s a system you’re a part of, by the way — and that you’ve been upholding, and it’s why I’m running.’” (Patrick Svitek, “MJ Hegar, Royce West Spar On Party Loyalty, Ethics In Debate,” The Texas Tribune, 6/29/20)
Hegar Previously Made Similar Claims About Rep. John Carter And Other Members But Said The Meetings Took Place In 2013, Not 2011
In A 2018 Interview, Hegar Said Her Efforts In D.C. To Meet With Members Of Congress And Senators—Including An Alleged Example Of When Rep. John Carter Would Not Meet With Her—Occurred In 2013. EVAN SMITH: “What has John Carter done wrong, or what hasn’t he done right?” HEGAR: “So he – like I mentioned, alluded to – he feels safe. He doesn’t act like he’s answerable to his constituents. For example, when I was in D.C. in 2013, I was actually trying to open jobs for women in the military. I worked with the ACLU and opened hundreds of thousands of jobs for women. And I was meeting with Congressmen and Senators from both sides of the aisle, and he wouldn’t meet with me, and he was my Congressman.” SMITH: “You’re a constituent.” HEGAR: “Yes. As one of his constituents, he wouldn’t meet with me. And I thought at the time it was because he didn’t agree with me. But I think it turns out he doesn’t really meet with anyone.” (MJ Hegar, Remarks To Texas Tribune, 3/21/18; 2:45-3:25)
In A 2019 Podcast, Hegar Claimed She Was Part Of A Group—The Combat Integration Initiative—Which “Stormed The Hill” To Talk To Members Of Congress And Senators. HEGAR: “So we filed a lawsuit. Technically, it was Hegar, et al. v. Panetta, which is Secretary Panetta. But it really wasn’t an MJ versus the military thing. The Joint Chiefs of Staff all unanimously recommended to the Secretary of Defense that he repeal the policy. They knew it was bad for the military also. It was really more of a let me give the Secretary more collateral reason to repeal the policy like I know he wants to. He repealed the policy, quickly. But then the real fight started. You know, Jeff Sessions, who was a Senator from Alabama at the time, said that he was going to legislate the policy back in place. So I cofounded the Combat Integration Initiative with Col. Ellen Haring – and that was really code for 40 really pissed off female combat vets. And we stormed the Hill and talked to, you know, Congressmen and women and Senators, and more importantly their staffers—where the real work is done—and just did everything we could to keep that legislation from coming about. And we were, so far, we’re successful.” (Radio America’s “Veterans Chronicles,” 9/26/19; 25:45-26:50)
- The Combat Integration Initiative Was Established In 2013 To Support The Integration Of Women Into Combat Arms Positions. “Women in International Security (WIIS) established the Combat Integration Initiative (CII) in2013 to support the successful integration of women into combat arms positions in the US military. WIIS’s Combat Integration Initiative program monitors the gender integration implementation process focusing on five activities deemed necessary for effective implementation. These five areas include: transparency of the implementation process; effective communication of policy changes; establishing job-based, gender neutral standards; providing training to leaders; and mentoring/Gender Advising” (“Combat Integration Handbook,” Women In International Security, 9/2016)
