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→Affidavits as 'evidence': NYT link
According to John Gonzalez, the newly formed group hired former-[[FBI]]-agent-turned-private-investigator [[Tom Rupprath]], "to locate swift boat vets and to dig up whatever he could regarding Kerry's service record." [http://www.dallasobserver.com/Issues/2004-07-29/news/feature_7.html]
John O'Neill told the ''New York Times'' that the private investigator was hired as a "neutral way of actually questioning people involved in these incidents." [http://www.nytimes.com/2004/08/20/politics/campaign/20swift.html?ex=10940053341250740800&en=7bf4b2f25a4c8daf&ei=15090&enpartner=729916e83be2ab35rssuserland]
Central to the SBVT media campaign has been a reliance on sworn affidavits to be provided as 'evidence' to journalists. However, Patrick Runyon, who provided a statement about the mission for which Kerry was awarded his first Purple Heart, found the interest in his views to be more partisan than neutral. When his statement was returned for his signature, he told the ''New York Times'', references to being fired on had been removed. "It made it sound like I didn't believe we got any returned fire ... He made it sound like it was a normal operation. It was the scariest night of my life," he said. [http://www.nytimes.com/2004/08/20/politics/campaign/20swift.html?ex=10940053341250740800&en=7bf4b2f25a4c8daf&ei=15090&enpartner=729916e83be2ab35rssuserland]
Commander [[George Elliott]]--who praised Kerry's conduct during the Vietnam War--provided an affidavit criticizing Kerry for being awarded a Silver Star.
In the same article Elliott maintained that, "based on the affidavits of the veterans on other boats," Kerry's being awarded the Bronze Star and third Purple Heart might be questionable. He said: "I simply have no reason for these guys [signing the other affidavits] to be lying, and if they are lying in concert, it is one hell of a conspiracy. So, on the basis of all of the information that has come out, I have chosen to believe the other men. I absolutely do not know first hand."
On August 6, 2004, Elliott claimed he had been misquoted in the ''Boston Globe'' article, and reaffirmed his original statement with another affidavit. However, since issuing the second affidavit Elliot has refused to speak to reporters. [http://www.nytimes.com/2004/08/20/politics/campaign/20swift.html?ex=10940053341250740800&en=7bf4b2f25a4c8daf&ei=15090&enpartner=729916e83be2ab35rssuserland]
In an affidavit released in July 2004, [[Larry Thurlow]] claimed that Kerry's statements that the five boats on that patrol came under small arms fire on March 13, 1969 was "totally fabricated." [http://www.nndb.com/people/318/000058144/][http://simianbrain.atlblogs.com/archives/001880.html]
