Lentz, Operation FREE irate over rep.’s e-mail

RIDLEY TOWNSHIP — Likely few issues since the Vietnam War will generate the same kind of instant and severe backlash as any perceived slight of veterans in this country — even if that slight comes from a fellow vet.

So it was no surprise that state Rep. Bryan Lentz, D-161, of Swarthmore, a former U.S. Army Ranger and combat veteran, publicly called out his colleague, state Rep. Daryl Metcalfe, R-12, of Butler County, for an e-mail Metcalfe sent to state House members Friday.

“As a veteran, I believe that any veteran lending their name, to promote the leftist propaganda of global warming and climate change, in an effort to control more of the wealth created in our economy, through cap-and-tax-type policies, all in the name of national security, is a traitor to the oath he or she took defend (to) the Constitution of our great nation!” reads Metcalfe’s e-mail. “Remember Benedict Arnold before giving credibility to a veteran who uses their service as a means to promote a leftist agenda.”

Metcalfe, who served in the U.S. Army from 1980-84, ended the e-mail with the catchphrase, “Drill Baby Drill!!!” a call for increased oil production in Alaska made popular during the 2008 presidential election.

Addressing a group of veterans Tuesday at the Herbert W. Best VFW Post No. 928 on MacDade Boulevard, Lentz said the e-mail was directed at “Operation FREE,” a group of veterans and national security organizations that see global warming as a national security issue. Several veterans from the group are on a 21-state bus tour rolling through Pennsylvania today.

“No less than (Arizona Republican) Sen. John McCain has made the statement that by continuing our reliance and consumption of foreign energy sources, we are, in a sense, funding both sides of the war on terror — one as taxpayers paying for our own armed forces, and one as consumers paying for the money that is funneled into groups like al-Qaida,” said Lentz.

There are also a slew of environmental impacts stemming from global warming, such as depressed crop yields and lack of drinking water, which can increase instability and volatility in many areas worldwide, adding to safety and security concerns.

Lentz listed some of the veterans involved with Operation FREE, including himself, former Republican Virginia Sen. John Warner, who served as chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, and Marine Corps Gen. Anthony Zinni, former commander in chief, U.S. Central Command.

“I’m here to stand up and say as a member of Operation FREE that I’m a veteran and that I ain’t no traitor,” said Lentz. “This is not a partisan issue, this is not a partisan crowd we’re here with today. This is a crowd of veterans, not Democrats or Republicans.”

Though a petition for an apology was already circulating online by Tuesday afternoon, Metcalfe said he stands by his e-mail.

“If somebody’s advocating a policy that directly violates our Constitution and they’ve taken an oath to uphold and protect that same document, then they are traitors to that oath,” he said. “Don’t try and change policies and (institute) regulations and laws that are a direct attack on the Constitution and are a violation of the Constitution and tell me that you’re not violating your oath of office.”

The way Metcalfe sees it, the federal government is attempting to legislate through regulation, but has no authority to impose emissions caps, a carbon credit trading system, or dictate how much energy must come from alternative or renewable resources.

“They’re not given that power in the U.S. Constitution,” he said. “We certainly haven’t granted them the power to come into our state and dictate to us how we’re going to generate energy for our state and for our citizens.”

Metcalfe said a “cap-and-tax” system would decrease overall energy production in coal-rich states like Pennsylvania, depriving the citizenry (in this case the energy producers) of the ability to fully enrich themselves. It would also increase the tax burden to producers, he said, a cost that would almost certainly be passed on to consumers.

While he agreed in principle that the U.S. needs to become more energy independent, Metcalfe said other avenues are available, such as increased nuclear power and domestic oil production.

The Operation FREE tour will hit Philadelphia City Hall at 6:30 tonight in the Mayor’s Reception Room (Room 202) at the intersection of Market and Broad streets.

Lentz is also hosting a panel discussion with regional and national experts on renewable and alternative energy sources beginning at 10 a.m. Thursday at Delaware County Community College.

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