“It would be easy to speculate that some of them went back and did some research on this guy’s war record too.”
First, Sanders did serve honorably and commendably (as did some 2,500,000 of his peers notwithstanding the infamous testimony of one John Forbes Kerry) receiveing both a Purple Heart and a Bronze Star for his service...both of which were deemed legitimate by the same review. For that he deserves our respect and gratitude.
However, the revocation of his Silver Star brings a whole new perspective (or should anyway) to his viscious excoriation of the Swiftvets as dishonorable smear merchants
while, at the same time, he was being touted by the Kerry campaign as a Silver Star awardee whose impeccable honor, integrity and credibility were inviolate.
Sanders has become a sort of ghost on the web since his conviction. Many articles about his conviction and incarceration and now a lot about having his SS award rescinded. There is virtually nothing about all the years from Nam to prison. One article in the USNI proceedings in 1999 and a very short acknowledgment of his alumni status from UCSD. This guy was some sort of connected rat player in San Diego for years and I can't even find out what law school he attended. Obviously a lot of somebodies have been at work doing a slate wiper operation. The amount of child porn found on his computer would lead one to suspect he has been involved in sex with young girls for a long time. Perhaps even starting during his tour in VN. Certainly those temptations were present there. One can only wonder if he is tied into some underage sex ring with some other insider types in San Diego and in DC. In the latter cocaine and underage sex partners are a popular subset of the numerous perversions enjoyed by a lot of insiders. San Diego is not that far from Tijuana and before the drug cartel wars was a popular place for well off types to enjoy their perversion of choice. There is some reason Sanders has been slate wiped on the net. There are a number of people who don't want any connection with him known. Another footnote on the underside of the political class.