Only the platinum standard of fake news and lies, Fox News, could have let this out on the air to begin with — and now they’re scurrying to delete and walk it back. Military Times:
Navy veteran John Garofalo appeared on a Fox News segment this month, showing off a massive presidential seal he carved for President Trump while receiving praise for his service in Vietnam as a SEAL.
The piece was broadcast nationally and featured cascading shots of all Garofalo’s medals. Online, it went viral, racking up 1.5 million Facebook views on Fox’s Facebook page.
“The Vietnam War veteran served seven years as a member of the nation’s first Navy SEAL team,” Fox News reporter Bryan Llenas said. “He was awarded 22 commendations, including two Purple Hearts.”
There’s only one problem with this stirring tribute to Trump from this war hero. He. Never. Was. One.
But when Navy Times contacted Garofalo Thursday, Garofalo admitted he had lied and never served in Vietnam, never received a Purple Heart and was never a SEAL.
Garofalo said he had falsely portrayed himself as a Vietnam vet and a SEAL for years.
“It got bigger and bigger,” Garofalo told Navy Times in a telephone interview. “What I did I‘m ashamed of, and I didn’t mean to cause so much disgrace to the SEALs.”
Records show Garofalo did serve in the Navy from Sept. 6, 1963, to Sept. 6, 1967, as an aviation boatswain’s mate ― aircraft handling, or ABH, a job that involves overseeing various ground-based functions involving aircraft.
The closest he ever got to Vietnam was a tour in Rota, Spain.
So we have a man posturing as a war hero doing a tribute to a man posturing as a leader. Fox is reportedly taking the story off its website and Facebook page. An apology to the Navy SEALs would seem to be in order, but maybe Fox will follow the Trump administration’s lead and never apologize, even when thoroughly called for.
The Liar in Chief seems to attract his own kind.