Maryland Gov. Moore calls stolen valor over Bronze Star an ‘honest mistake,’ deflects blame

Maryland Governor Wes Moore (D) has been accused of stolen valor for previously failing to correct the record about a Bronze Star he never received, but claimed he had, while serving in the United States Army.

A New York Times report published Thursday revealed that in 2006, Moore, then 27 years old, claimed on an application for the White House Fellowship that he had received the award.

'I should have corrected the interviewers.'

“For my work,” he claimed, “the 82nd Airborne Division have awarded me the Bronze Star Medal and the Combat Action Badge.”

Bronze Star awards are given to military members who perform “acts of heroism in ground combat.”

He had not been awarded with either the Bronze Star or the badge at the time of the submission. The Times found that Moore never received the Bronze Star but earned the badge in May 2006, according to an Army spokesperson.

During a Wednesday interview, Moore called the statement on his application “an honest mistake.”

“While serving overseas with the Army, I was encouraged to fill out an application for the White House Fellowship by my deputy brigade commander,” Moore stated. “In fact, he helped me edit it before I sent it in. At the time, he had recommended me for the Bronze Star. He told me to include the Bronze Star award on my application after confirming with two other senior-level officers that they had also signed off on the commendation.”

“I made an honest mistake by including something because my commanding officer thought it was a good idea,” Moore added. “He thought that I earned it and he was already going through the paperwork to process it.”

Moore’s then-commanding officer, Lt. Gen. Michael Fenzel, confirmed to the Times that he had advised Moore to include the Bronze Star on his application. He told Moore that he and others had already approved the medal. Fenzel noted that Moore initially objected to including it on his application.

Fenzel stated that he was unaware that Moore had never received the medal, adding that he plans to resubmit the paperwork.

However, despite claiming it was “an honest mistake,” Moore has had several opportunities to correct the record, including during a 2008 PBS panel discussion with Gwen Ifill and a 2010 appearance on “The Colbert Report” with Stephen Colbert.

“I should have corrected the interviewers,” Moore said. “In retrospect, I’m sorry that I didn’t.”

Moore has received several other medals for his time in the military, including a National Defense Service Medal, an Afghanistan Campaign Medal, an Armed Forces Reserve Medal with “M” Device, an Army Service Ribbon, and a Parachutist Badge.

Moore was initially included among Democratic presidential nominee and Vice President Kamala Harris’ list of candidates for running mate. According to Moore, questions regarding the Bronze Star did not come up.

Harris ultimately selected Minnesota Governor Tim Walz (D) as her vice presidential nominee, who has also been accused of stolen valor. Walz referred to weapons he “carried in war,” but he was never deployed to a combat zone. He has also been introduced as a “command sergeant major” despite retiring at a lower rank and failing to meet the requirements associated with the higher position.

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