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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 4, 2018
Contact: Nick Anas, (562)713-2468, nick@umbergforsenate2018.org
https://www.umbergforsenate2018.org
Colonel Tom Umberg (ret.) Serves Cease And Desist Notice
On Opponent Senator Janet Nguyen For Communist Allegations
Santa Ana, CA – In response to an outrageous and deceptive mailer from Senator Janet Nguyen’s campaign that sought to deliberately mislead voters, Democratic nominee for California’s 34th Senate District, Colonel Tom Umberg (ret.), issued a cease and desist letter requesting that defamatory statements be retracted.
The mailer, which was sent to homes across the 34th Senate District, uses McCarthy-like tactics to falsely claim that Umberg is pro-communist, was supportive of Jane Fonda and Tom Hayden’s anti-Vietnam War efforts, and intentionally conflates Tom Hayden and his beliefs and activities with Tom Umberg.
The letter, signed by Umberg attorney and Vietnam Marine Corp Veteran Jess J. Araujo, states in part that “During Colonel Umberg’s military career he served with the 2nd Infantry Division along the Korean DMZ; with NATO forces in Europe; as a paratrooper with the Army Special Operations Command; as an instructor at the JFK Special Warfare Center; and in Afghanistan – where he was awarded a Bronze Star. During the latter part of the Vietnam War he was in training to become an Army officer, as was his wife – Brigadier General (ret.) Robin Umberg. And his father-in-law was flying over 100 combat missions as an Air Force pilot in Vietnam.”
The letter goes on to state that, “The people of Vietnam suffered tremendous harm at the hands of the communists both during and after the war. Many of the survivors and their families of the communist atrocities now live in the 34th Senate District. As a result, you also knew that publishing these false claims, particularly to the patriotic Vietnamese-American population, would cause harm.”
The letter and mailer can be found here.
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Tom Umberg is a retired U.S. Army Colonel and small business owner who served three tours overseas including Korea and Afghanistan. As an Assistant U.S. Attorney in Orange County, he fought corruption, prosecuted gang members and protected civil rights. He was the nation’s Deputy Drug Czar, appointed by President Bill Clinton and previously served three terms in the California State Assembly.
In the 34th Senate District, Democrats currently hold a 9.5% registration advantage over Republicans. Hillary Clinton carried the district by 22.7% in 2016.
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