What happens to otherwise good men and women when they get inside the beltway of Washington D.C.? 
As a citizen of Montana, I believe I have a right to ask that question given the fact that the person most 
recently identified as apparently suffering from the syndrome, whatever it may be, happens to be Senator 
John Walsh (D-MT). The unidentified “syndrome” that I am talking about is that which causes men and 
women to lose integrity and make excuses for their inappropriate actions once they get inside the beltway. 
It matters not whether those inappropriate actions took place prior to or subsequent to their entrance 
inside the beltway. When a skeleton falls out of their closet, politicians make excuses.

It is readily apparent that Senator Walsh, an otherwise good man who Montana Governor Steve Bullock 
appointed to the Senate in February 2014 to replace former Senator Max Baucus, plagiarized a thesis 
paper while attending the Army War College, and he has effectively admitted doing so. But instead of 
totally “manning up,” like most politicians, and especially Democrats, he chooses to make excuses for 
willingly and knowingly committing plagiarism. While saying he doesn’t want to blame the plagiarism 
on it, he says that the Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) he claims to suffer from as a result of his 
service in Iraq may have been a contributing factor. What a crock of bull! ! Of course, this all came to 
light because Senator Walsh is in an uphill fight to retain his Senate seat in the November election.

I have a great deal of respect for Senator Walsh in consideration of his 33 years of service in the National 
Guard; however, I have no respect for anyone who is dishonest and this attempt to pass off his erring 
ways as a product of PTSD is just that. Senator Walsh is being dishonest and grasping for an excuse. 
Governor Bullock says, and I have no reason to doubt him, that he was unaware of the alleged plagiarism 
when he appointed Mr. Walsh to the Senate seat. Only Governor Bullock knows whether he would have 
still made the appointment if the plagiarism allegation had been revealed at that time. Obviously, I think 
plagiarism is a sign of dishonesty and any person who resorts to that sort of action in order to make 
himself look better so as to make it through an Army War College course and receive a Master’s Degree, 
should not be in such a position of trust.

To get back to the point of this commentary, however, is it something that is in the water in Washington 
D.C., or are politicians sworn to some kind of oath of dishonesty when they first arrive in the city? 
Obviously, some of them are totally dishonest before they ever get there. The best example of that is the 
man who resides in The White House. I have every reason to believe he has been dishonest during most, 
if not all, of his adult life. But for my unknown friends who may be reading this across the nation, let me 
assure you that dishonest people in the State of Montana are an exception. Oh, we have more than our 
share of them out here, but Montanans in general are raised to be honest and we like to think we can take 
pride in being that way. The late Senator Mike Mansfield, for example, was as honest as the day is long. 
Max Baucus was an honest man for many years until he was exposed to or inoculated with the syndrome, 
after which he, too, went wacko and ceased to use good judgment. As far as Senator Walsh is concerned, 
it only took five months for him to fall victim to the syndrome.

Please bear with me as I make one final comment. Because I know there are many warriors out there who 
truly suffer from PTSD, I detest Senator Walsh’s use of that serious problem as an excuse for his 
misgivings. In fact, it has been stated that he was never diagnosed with the problem; however I do not 
know that to be a fact. As a career military man, I am ashamed that Senator Walsh has resorted to such an 
excuse and he should be ashamed.