The letter:
I am Clyde Shavers’ father. I speak for both me and my wife regarding our son’s political campaign.
In watching the past weeks of watching our son’s campaign, I see that it has led to accusations of untruthfulness and conduct that I wished to never have seen or been drawn in the middle of.
My wife and I write this only to correct the record factually and personally as a matter of integrity.
Clyde was never a submarine officer, not even for a day. Prior to Clyde’s announcement to run for office, he had asked me how to explain his failure of the submarine officer pipeline training. I stressed to Clyde that he must be truthful and simply state that he went through the many weeks of training. Yet, as seen in campaign materials, Clyde chose instead to claim that he was a submarine officer. I explicitly explained to him that this is akin to claiming to be a Navy SEAL who never completing the training yet being awarded the badge reflecting the position.
Clyde has only disdain for the military. I have seen Clyde’s use of veteran status used heavily as a seal of endorsement of honor and integrity, even as he or his campaign continually use the phrase “son of a Marine” for his credibility. There are no words that I have that could come close to overemphasize Clyde’s negative view of the military, his disdain of enlisted service members, and his revulsion to wear the uniform. This is from conversations that I have had with my son, when trying to convey the honor and privilege of being able to wear such a uniform fell flat on his ears. I am fully aware of those in the military being anxious to complete their service, but Clyde never wanted to go into the military, nor the US Naval Academy in the first place, and bluntly stated animosity against the military and the people in it. I obviously credit his service, but not the abuse of it.
Clyde’s ties to Whidbey Island, or even to any county in Washington outside of King County are zero. The only relation to LD10 is that we have driven Clyde throughLD10 on occasion when he was growing up. Prior to announcing his candidacy forLD10, Clyde had determined that LD10 was a district that he could win, and he would run there. At that time, I explicitly told him that he has nothing to with that area and should run where he grew up. But according to Clyde, the Democrat Party in Washington and residents of Whidbey Island wanted him there to “flip it blue”. That is the reason he chose LD10.
I have seen the claims that Clyde’s residence is in question, that he lives in a Bed and Breakfast. This is true. Clyde has told us that he rents a room in a Bed and Breakfast. This is his only tie to Whidbey Island and LD10. He has never worked or lived there. He pointedly said to us that he picked Whidbey Island because he can win, fully believes that he will, and that he eventually will be the youngest President of the United States. Clyde does own a condo in Kirkland. He does not, nor ever lived there, but he owns it.
OUCH!
