Lying Republicans: Chris Royse/AFRICOM Edition

I know this will shock you, but…it’s yet another day, yet another lying Republican. This time, it’s Prince William County board candidate Chris Royse, and it’s about the U.S. military (specifically, U.S. Africa Command – AFRICOM). Check out the following press release from Woodbridge Supervisor Frank Principi. Also, click here for the Potomac Local story, with Royse admitting he didn’t talk to anyone from AFRICOM – after he had said repeatedly that he was in communications with the military command. Sadly, when it comes to Republicans – especially acolytes of demagogue/xenophobe Corey Stewart like Chris Royce – this kind of behavior by isn’t surprising at all. Just make sure you don’t vote for people like this (if they’ll lie about the U.S. military, how can they be trusted not to lie to their constituents?!?).

Department of Defense Confirms Royse Misleading Voters About AFRICOM Relocation

WOODBRIDGE, VA – An official with the US Africa Command (AFRICOM) has confirmed that candidate Chris Royse is misleading Woodbridge voters when he claims that he is working with AFRICOM to relocate its Stuttgart, Germany Headquarters to Woodbridge, Virginia. Royse’s on-going statements were refuted in a letter from AFRICOM.

Royse first made the statement in early August when he told local media reporters that he was “actively” working with AFRICOM to relocate its headquarters to Woodbridge.  He said at the time that he wanted to make AFRICOM a “major campaign issue” for the fall election.  The official letter from AFRICOM confirms there has been no contact with Royse.  

“Chris Royse is misleading Woodbridge voters about his number one campaign issue,” Principi said. “If he is misleading us about this issue, can he be trusted with any of the other issues important to families and businesses in Woodbridge?”

In an October 6th letter from the Department of Defense (DoD) to the Principi Campaign, an AFRICOM official said the military command conducted a thorough search of its records and could not find a single email, telephone call, or meeting with Chris Royse.  The DoD has no records of Chris Royse’s plan to relocate AFRICOM Headquarters to Woodbridge, Virginia.  AFRICOM’s own website states that “The command has no plans to move its headquarters from Stuttgart and will be located here for the foreseeable future.”

In two recent appearances (both captured on video, one on Royse’s own site), Royse said he “was talking to AFRICOM” and called it a “reality” that AFRICOM would relocate to Woodbridge within four years, a claim now proven false by DoD.

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Please see the attached FOIA request we received back from AFRICOM.

From AFRICOM’s Website:

What are the command’s plans to move to a location in Africa or elsewhere or establish bases in Africa? The command has no plans to move its headquarters from Stuttgart and will be located here for the foreseeable future. In addition, USAFRICOM is not seeking the establishment of bases in Africa or anywhere else.

Video of Royse saying it is a reality

Video of Royse saying he is talking to AFRICOM