(Update - 21 June - Well, Mr. Fitzpatrick responded to my offer by further attacks and lies. His choice, but it leads me to suspect I may have hit too close to the mark. Though his comparison of his critics with the British commanders at the Battle of Cowpens speaks more for his ego than anything else. And I have to thank him for introducing me to a couple more blogs I didn't know about.
I don't think "offering someone a place to air their side of something" is somehow self-doubt. And I suspect it's more than he would offer on his blog either.
And it does say a lot about Mr. Fitzpatrick that he has to sign off with "United States Navy Retired" and "United States Naval Academy Class of 1975". It confirms my theory that a lot of his sense of self-worth and self-identity is still tied up in something that is no longer his.)
(Update - 20 June - A note to Mr. Fitzpatrick's friend "Tim". If you wish to comment and present your side of things, you are welcome to do so.
On the other hand, sending me email along the lines of "Looks like he wants to play................stupid man. His pals are not going to like what this will come to." doesn't do your side any favours.)
(Update - 19 June - I just got an email from Mr. Fitzpatrick. All he did was repost my bio in the YtD writers section.
In the interest of being fair, I welcome any further information from Mr. Fitzpatrick as to his behaviour and his side of the story. He is also welcome to comment here as well, as YtD does not censor comments.)
One of the "rising stars" in the fantasy tiddlywinks league is Walter Fitzpatrick. A Naval Acadamy graduate who became popular with the birthers and the pretend grand "jury" sect for a nasty letter sent to Obama claiming treason, Mr. Fitizpatrick is now a hero and "patriot" among the birther tribes.
I wonder how many of them know who he really is though? Some seem to think he's still a serving officer, others believe he's retired, but subject to recall.
It would be a cold day in hell before he was recalled though. Why? Well, what he doesn't talk about is why he's not in the Navy - or why his blog is called "JAG hunters". Seems Mr. Fitzpatrick doesn't have a very squeaky clean record. From all indications, Mr. Fitzpatrick's naval career was a good one, with rumours of the fast track to Admiral's stars. Executive Officer of a ship is usually seen as the last step before being placed in Command of a ship.
And all that was sunk by Mr. Fitzpatrick's own hands. You see, he was relieved of his position and court-martialed.
"Fitzpatrick is struggling to clear his name of a court-martial conviction that left a career-destroying letter of reprimand in his personnel record.
Navy records state that Fitzpatrick failed to properly supervise the spending of his ship's ``morale, welfare and recreation" money - nongovernmental money raised for the crew's use through proceeds from the ship's retail store - and while he did not personally gain from the money, his decisions violated Navy policies.
The money is usually used by the crew to pay for items such as TV and audio equipment, recreational supplies and other nonmilitary gear."
and the end result:
"He was convicted on one count of being ``derelict in the performance of those duties (as executive officer) in that he willfully failed to follow proper procedures for the accounting and expenditure of Morale, Welfare and Recreational Funds. . . . " A career-ending letter of reprimand was placed in his personnel file."
Nobody forced him to dip into the ship's morale funds, but he did, and as a result was placed on the beach following court martial.
A lapse in judgement, but one serious enough to insure he was passed over for promotion not once, not twice, but three times, with forced retirement as a Lt. Commander the capstone to a once-promising career.
"Exiled to shore staff jobs, Fitzpatrick has twice been passed over for promotion to commander, and is due for mandatory retirement in July."
He's seen his classmates from the Naval Academy go on to bigger and better things, worse he's seeing NROTC graduates and OCS mustangs go ahead of him. He's knows that anyone who's familar with the military will see the grade he retired at and realize what a screw-up he is. And he can't blame anyone but himself. To make things worse, he knows the only reason he stayed in as long as he was able is the fact he IS a Naval Academy graduate - and that he would have been long since gone if he hadn't been one.
He's lost almost all of his self-identity. He's not an officer, he's not serving in the military, he's not defending his country, he's NOTHING anymore. And those he identifies with rightfully shun him.
So he lashes out. Unable to take responsibility for his own actions, he first attacks the JAG, seeing a grand conspiracy that was designed specifically to scuttle his career. His hatred grows to cover not only the JAG, but the entire UCMJ system. And, by extension, the entire US governmental legal system. It's not HIS actions that ruined his career, oh no. But this deep, dark conspiracy that was out to get him.
"Fitzpatrick has accused officers of his ship's administrative command of a ``vendetta" against him after he criticized the Oakland headquarters for inadequate support on a number of issues. Fitzpatrick said the staff officers retaliated by trumping up charges against him to drive him from the service.Navy officers involved in prosecuting Fitzpatrick on financial negligence charges deny any hidden motives.
``I can't fault the individual's heart but I can fault his judgment," said retired Rear Adm. John Bitoff, who presided over the investigation and appointed the court-martial against Fitzpatrick. ``This was not some kind of a witch hunt."
And then he see something he hates almost as much - Barack Obama. For whatever reason, be it race, be it politics, be it presumed religion, but Fitzpatrick hates Obama. And he sees the US legal system - the very thing he hates with the heat of a thousand white hot suns - standing up to protect Obama. This becomes intolerable.
Clinging to one of the only bits of self-identity he has left, he uses Naval Academy stationary to write a nasty letter. And that letter is seen by the Fantasy Grand Jury - themselves fighting against the legal system he hates so much - as some sort of legal document.
They don't care it has no validity
They don't care Fitzpatrick is no longer a serving officer
They don't care Fitzpatrick was court-martialed and retired in disgrace
Suddenly Fitzpatrick has his identity back, since the fantasy grand jury people seem to see him as he sees himself still - a Naval Officer and Patriot, defending his country proudly. His self-identity has been validated. And never mind that in doing so, he's allied himself with people that go against the oath he took AS an officer.
But that oath is meaningless to him. His hatred has grown to the point he sees the entire US government has part of the conspiracy that beached him. After all, the people who tried and convicted him, his classmates from the Academy, all of those people went on and he was cast out. Therefore it's the government that's invalid, and therefore his oath is meaningless.
I don't know what Fitzpatrick wants - more validation?? The belief that once the government is overthrown he'll get those Admiral stars he believed was his by right?? That somehow all those that tried him for HIS lack of judgement will face their own court-martial and moment of shame??
Whatever his reasons, there is, at his core, a bitter, angry man. Paranoid, believing his "due" was stolen from him, and unable to accept responsibility for his own actions, yes. But bitter, angry, and lashing out. And in lashing out, has betrayed the oath he took and everything he was taught as a Naval Officer. The irony being is that he's now destroyed and spat upon everything he stood for as an Officer.
Lt. Commander Walter Fitzpatrick III, USN, is no more.
Mr. Walter Fitzpatrick III is all that remains.
No longer an officer, no longer a gentleman, no longer, even a patriot. But a sad angry man willing to fall to the depths of treason and sedition in an attempt to punish those he holds responsible for his own failure and own lack of judgement.
Patrick, I have always wondered who Walter Francis Fitzpatrick III was and why he cavorted with the fantasy grand juries.
It's really sad isn't it? If I ever screw up that badly, I hope I have a smidgen of integrity and owe up to my mistake. Personal responsibility and the lot.
Posted by: Hektor | June 19, 2009 at 06:37 PM
Absolutely outstanding post Patrick, I can say no more.
Posted by: Litlebritdifrnt | June 19, 2009 at 08:29 PM
I just love it when bad people go down in flames.
Posted by: John Dean | June 19, 2009 at 09:12 PM
This is what can happen to anyone when they fail to take responsibility for their own mistakes. In his case this ex naval officer has taken himself to the point of paranoia. And the other people involved in the birther movement see his ex title and choose to believe they know the truth. Thanks again Patrick.
Posted by: Mary Brown | June 19, 2009 at 11:06 PM
Great post. The "heros" of the BirtherVerse should be exposed for the bogus crackpots that they are. As far as I know there's not a single one at the forefront of the movement who doesn't have an ax to grind, a screw loose or a bigfoot in the closet.
Posted by: Nicolle | June 20, 2009 at 02:32 AM
Thank you Patrick. Excellent post.
If the birthers want him then they can have him. The rest of the world is moving on.
Posted by: notheydidn't | June 20, 2009 at 12:42 PM
Walt, who complains that he was illegally convicted, writes a letter to the President on stationery that one can purchase at the Annapolis gift shop. Gee, the President didn't respond to old Walt's charges. LOL! So Walt announces that Obama has admitted to his "crimes" in that he didn't respond to the letter. Perfectly logical, Walt.
Walt charges the President with Treason and Fraud.
Walt, how is it that you charge him with fraud, saying he is not an American citizen, and also charge him with treason? Doesn't one have to be an American to be charged with treason?
Like Orly says, details don't matter.
Is there even one sane birther? oxymoron!!! [I suppose that would be oxymoran to the birthers.]
Posted by: sus | June 20, 2009 at 02:26 PM
I don't think there's such a thing as a sane birther--you have to be truly unhinged to believe things that completely fly in the face of reason and reality.
Posted by: Jennifer C | June 20, 2009 at 09:16 PM
Before he was The JAG Hunter, Walt Fitzpatrick was one of the founding members of a site called Citizens Against Military Injustice (CAMI) [http://www.militaryinjustice.com], now defunct. Circa eight years ago he was railing about the injustice of his court-martial on CAMI which led to further information being published around the net.
CAMI had a separate open forum, [http://p094.ezboard.com/bmilitaryinjustice] which has not seen a post since 9/4/2007, but archives are there back to 2001.
On 6/22/2002, someone handled "proveit" started a thread "hey Walt we want proof Walt." Walt Fitzpatrick particpated on the thread and gave his version of the law. The Alison Ruttenberg on the thread is one of the attorneys who then particpated on the site. The thread [http://p094.ezboard.com/hey-Walt-we-want-proof/fmilitaryinjusticefrm1.showMessage?topicID=185.topic] can be reviewed to see how Walt fared, but it went like the following:
Walt: "There is no provision in Article 32 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice for any person to 'waive' the hearing. ..."
Allison: "Walt: You have it backwards. ..."
Walt: "Counselor, I have it exactly right. ..."
Allison: "Every Court, civilian and military, that has considered the issue of waiver of rights had determined that rights can be waived if the waiver is knowing and intelligent. ..."
On 8/17/2002, CAMI announced the resignation of Walt Fitzpatrick from CAMI. He then started his blog became The JAG Hunter.
Posted by: nolu chan | June 20, 2009 at 11:08 PM
Patrick World-O-Crap has a response from Walter Fitzpatrick @ http://world-o-crap.com/blog/?p=1448
He accuses you of libel among other things.
I remain unsure as to why he is responding to you there but, well, if you haven't seen it yet, thought you'd like to know.
Posted by: Hektor | June 22, 2009 at 07:21 AM
Hector - Yeah, he sent that one to me as well.
For libel, one would have to prove what I said was false. And unless he *wasn't* court-martialed, I can't see what I said was a lie.
Some of the emails from his supporters have been pretty rabid as well. Though I got a fairly civil one from one with a batch of documentation on other matters that I'm going though right now.
Posted by: Patrick McKinnion | June 22, 2009 at 10:13 AM
WAY.
TO.
GO.
PATRICK.
As usual, an insightful post. It's unfortunate that ol' Walt sidelined his career in the Navy, but since conservatives are all about "personal responsibility" perhjaps it is time for Wally to step up and take ownership of the conduct that torpedoed his career. Will never happen, of course. It is easier for the old man to rail against the system. And the scary black man who is now our nation's Commander in Chief.
Maybe the kids can find a comfy nursing home for him.
Posted by: GeorgetownJD | June 22, 2009 at 01:53 PM
Patrick,
Just as Mr. Fitzpatrick led you to Word-O-Crap, he led me from there to you.
I just bookmarked your site, and whatever else Mr. Fitzpatrick accomplished, he got you one more regular reader.
Posted by: Green Eagle | June 22, 2009 at 06:23 PM
He uses Naval Academy stationary, 35 years after graduating from Annapolis?
That's sad.
And probably illegal. I'm sure the Supe would not appreciate it, as it would appear to be official communication to the untrained eye.
Posted by: actor212 | June 23, 2009 at 09:54 AM
For libel, one would have to prove what I said was false. And unless he *wasn't* court-martialed, I can't see what I said was a lie.
He'd have to go a lot further than that, Patrick. He'd have to prove that the underlying story was a lie, that you maliciously reposted a previously published story that was later repudiated without noting the retraction, and that your intent was to defame him.
None of which applies, clearly. His better suit would be to appeal to the Seattle Post-Intelligencer to come after you on copyright violations, but I doubt they'd give him the time of day.
Oh...and like Green Eagle, I found you thru World-O-Crap. Nice work.
Posted by: actor212 | June 23, 2009 at 09:57 AM
Having read all of this on both sides, Personally I would still like to see a birth certificate and put this all to bed once and for all!
Posted by: Common Sense | June 25, 2009 at 04:53 PM
Common Sense - if you are really serious about this, then just spend the time and search for it on the internet. You will find it easily.
Posted by: G | June 26, 2009 at 03:26 PM
You 'children' have no idea what's about to hit you...do you really, even for a milisecond, believe that the american people are on your side? Are you delusional enough to believe that? If so, I feel for you. I really do.
You'd better hope that your "Messiah"'s internal military force - that IS what he called it by the way - is up and functioning, and very soon....because this country is a powder keg. And this I can promise you...you 'statists' are going to be on the wrong side of the currents of history.
Run away and enjoy the show....that is what you're best at.
Posted by: Mike | July 18, 2009 at 09:13 AM
That is quite the disturbing post you made there Mike. Care to expand and clarify further on this promise you speak of?
Posted by: CalperniaUSA | July 18, 2009 at 11:55 AM
Mike - You know, I never have understood just why the right-wing seems to believe that anyone thinks Obama is a "messiah". I certainly don't. Nobody I know who voted for him thinks he is.
I guess it's like any other birther lie - tell it often enough in hopes that people believe it.
The majority of American voters voted for Obama. Polls still show a majority level of support for him. Active duty US military donated to Obama 3:1 over McCain. The people I see claiming otherwise are a mix of people in the "Sovereign Citizens", "Christian Identity", "Tax Resister", and "Birther" movements, along with hard core racist and militia types.
So sorry, I don't buy your belief for even a second.
BTW, for someone claiming to be a patriot, it's funny you're using an IP address in Canada. Playing with spoofing toys again? Or just a troll?
Posted by: Patrick McKinnion | July 18, 2009 at 11:56 AM
you are frauds
pathetic
cya
Posted by: liars extrordinaire | July 25, 2009 at 07:15 PM
"Liars Extrordinaire" - Or should that be "liar extrordinaire"? Since with a given email address of "eatmyshit@yousuk.org", I suspect you really don't have anything constructive to add to the conversation.
So how are things in New Jersey anyway??
Posted by: Patrick McKinnion | July 25, 2009 at 09:36 PM
Patrick,
Sorry so late to this discussion, but I suppose better late than never....
I followed your link to the Seattle article about Walter Fitzpatrick and his court marshal. This is the first I've heard of this. You didn't mention it in your article, but I noticed how the Seattle article concluded:
"A special court-martial of three Navy officers in April 1990 found Fitzpatrick not guilty on 39 of 40 charges filed against him, including several other charges unrelated to the funeral trip. He was convicted on one count of being ``derelict in the performance of those duties (as executive officer) in that he willfully failed to follow proper procedures for the accounting and expenditure of Morale, Welfare and Recreational Funds. . . . " A career-ending letter of reprimand was placed in his personnel file.
In a review of the trial, the office of the judge advocate general of the Navy on Jan. 14, 1993, downgraded the solitary conviction to that of simple negligence.
Today, the former Navy officer who prosecuted the court-martial says the case brought against Fitzpatrick had little to support it. In an affidavit he provided to Fitzpatrick, former Lt. Matthew Bogoshian said that ``the majority of charges . . . brought against Lt. Cmdr. Fitzpatrick seemed to have little or no basis in reality, i.e. there was an absence of much if any evidence to support them."
But the damage had been done. Exiled to shore staff jobs, Fitzpatrick has twice been passed over for promotion to commander, and is due for mandatory retirement in July.
Fitzpatrick has won one victory to use in his quest for a rehearing. A panel of three senior Navy captains last summer evaluated Fitzpatrick for involuntary separation from the Navy. They concluded, ``The board did not feel there was sufficient evidence (in the court-martial) to support a finding of guilty of dereliction of duty."
``His record of past performance . . . indicates that Lt. Cmdr. Fitzpatrick would be a continued valuable member of the U.S. Navy," the panel added."
This sounds as though, upon subsequent review of his court marshal, that he may indeed have been railroaded. Not many details regarding exactly what Fitzpatrick did (or failed to do) regarding his duty with the "Morale, Welfare, and Recreational funds." If he did something wrong, what exactly was it? Was it really worthy of a court marshal? Why were there 40 charges brought when 39 were regarded by the prosecutor in the case to be complete fabrications? If 39 of the 40 were baseless and fabricated, doesn't that say something to the integrity of those who filed the charges? Just asking....
I mean, if you write an article to trash a man's integrity, don't you owe it to him (and indeed your own integrity) to look a bit deeper?
I do not know if Fitzpatrick's charges of treason against Obama are legit or not. The evidence is not all in. I for one would like to see it in the open and examine it in the light of day. Until it is, you might want to reserve judgment, not jump to conclusions, and not immediately begin hurling insults and derogatory comments about him and others who simply want to know the truth. Whether you do or don't is a matter of your own personal integrity.
Posted by: Ralph | December 03, 2009 at 10:15 AM
The fact he was convicted, and later had that conviction "reduced" to a letter of reprimand, speaks volumes for his character.
It still beached him, still ended his career. And the fact remains he was passed over for promotion not once, not twice, but three times - a sure sign that the Navy as a whole didn't trust his judgement. As per guidelines at the time, he was retired from the Navy after 19 years as a Lt. Commander. (O-4). That's pretty bad for someone with that time in service AND who was a USNA graduate.
His behaviour since then also speaks volumes for his character - until he jumped on the birther bandwagon, he maintained a website that was a constant screed against the JAG and the UCMJ - the name of his website, "JAG Hunters" reflects this.
Since then, his actions have continued to be questionable - his claims against Obama use long-since disproven materials, and the fact that he wrote his original "treason" letter on USNA stationary - thereby giving an initial impression that this was an official USNA position - gives a strong impression of dishonesty. The additional facts of claims of "mutiny" against Obama and suggestions he's still under UCMJ rules, not to mention his use of a rank (Commander O-5) he didn't earn, only adds to the dishonesty level.
The simple fact of the matter is the birthers don't want to know the truth, don't care about the truth, and could care less about anything that goes against their viewpoint. The "American Grand Jury" presentments are a prime example - not only have they been soundly rejected by real court officials who have rightly pointed out they are not a real jury - but they're full of claims and statements that have been disproven for a very long time. Yet they keep beating that dead horse over and over again. The birthers have let to present anything even close to credible and verifible evidence to support their claims.
Posted by: Patrick McKinnion | December 03, 2009 at 11:44 AM
As the spouse of a USNA graduate who retired from the Navy as an 0-6 its disturbing to read of Mr. Fitzpatrick's actions on a few levels.
His use of an un-earned rank is truly stunning. Its simply not done. The fact that he chose to use USNA stationary for his "treason" letter is the sign of an individual who is still clinging to the remnants of authority he no longer holds. His flippant use of terms such as "mutiny", "treason" and referring to our President as his "enemy" certainly do not reflect the speech of a thoughtful officer of any rank.
I've spoken to four Academy grads regarding Mr. Fitzpatrick's actions and to a man they have been disgusted.
Promotion boards serve the purpose of not only rewarding and retaining those individuals who show the exceptional ability to lead and serve, but also to weed out those who do not have the honor, temperment or abilities to command.
It seems in Mr. Fitzpatrick's case they may have served our country well.
Posted by: diplome | December 12, 2009 at 07:46 PM