Editing Swift Vets and POWs for Truth (section)

===Connections with the Bush campaign===
The Bush campaign became part of the general SBVT controversy when McCain condemned the first SBVT ad, and said, "I hope that the president will also condemn it." The Bush campaign did not condemn SBVT or the SBVT ads. The campaign did not endorse the group either, stating "We have not and we will not question Senator Kerry's service in Vietnam."<ref name="wontquestionservice">{{cite news|title=Bush Advisors Say Campaign Won't Question Kerry's Service|publisher=U.S. News & World Report|date=2004-08-16|url=https://www.usnews.com/usnews/politics/bulletin/archive/bull040816e.htm|access-date=2007-04-02|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070929102922/http://www.usnews.com/usnews/politics/bulletin/archive/bull040816e.htm|archive-date=2007-09-29|url-status=dead}}</ref> Kerry was dismissive of this statement, saying, "Of course, the President keeps telling people he would never question my service to our country. Instead, he watches as a Republican-funded attack group does just that."<ref name="apkerrystrikesback">{{cite news|title=Kerry Strikes Back Against Vietnam Criticism|agency=Associated Press|date=2004-08-20|url=http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,129387,00.html|access-date=2007-04-02|work=Fox News|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070523072110/http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,129387,00.html|archive-date=2007-05-23|url-status=dead}}</ref> Kerry also alleged that SBVT was "a front for the Bush campaign. And the fact that the President won't denounce what they're up to tells you everything you need to know—he wants them to do his dirty work".<ref name="dohisdirtywork">{{cite news|last=Fournier|first=Ron|title=Kerry accuses Bush of relying on front groups to 'do his dirty work' on Vietnam|agency=Associated Press|date=2004-08-19|url=http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/politics/federal/20040819-1432-kerry-war.html|access-date=2007-04-02}}</ref> When pressed on the issue, President Bush called for an end to all 527 group political advertisements, and challenged Kerry to do the same.<ref name="bushurgeskerry">{{cite news|title=Bush urges Kerry to condemn attack ads|publisher=CNN|date=2004-08-24|url=http://www.cnn.com/2004/ALLPOLITICS/08/23/bush.kerry/|access-date=2007-04-01}}</ref>

Critics and the Kerry campaign pointed to several specific connections between SBVT and the Bush campaign. The Kerry campaign asserted that Bush campaign headquarters in [[Florida]] distributed fliers promoting SBVT events, a charge the Bush campaign denied.<ref name="fliertobush">{{cite news|title=Volunteer links 'Swift Boat Veterans for Truth' flier to Bush|work=USA Today|date=2004-08-24|url=https://www.usatoday.com/news/politicselections/nation/president/2004-08-20-swift-boat-flier_x.htm|access-date=2007-04-01}}</ref> Kenneth Cordier, former vice-chair of Veterans for Bush/Cheney (in 2000) and volunteer member of the Bush campaign veterans steering committee, appeared in the second SBVT advertisement. The Bush campaign asked him to resign and stated that it had been unaware of his SBVT involvement.<ref name="wapocortierresigns">{{cite news|last=Milbank|first=Dana|title=Bush Campaign Drops Swift Boat Ad Figure|pages=A13|newspaper=Washington Post|date=2004-08-02|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A22957-2004Aug22.html|access-date=2007-04-02}}</ref>

On August 25, 2004, [[Benjamin Ginsberg (lawyer)|Benjamin Ginsberg]], the top election lawyer to the Bush campaign on [[campaign finance|campaign finance law]], also resigned after it was learned that SBVT was one of his clients. Ginsberg stated that he was withdrawing to avoid being a distraction to the campaign. He declared that he had acted "in a manner that is fully appropriate and legal,"<ref name="nytlawyerresigns"/> arguing that it was not uncommon or illegal for lawyers to represent campaigns or political parties while also representing 527 groups. He also maintained that he did not disclose to the Bush campaign that he was simultaneously representing the SBVT group. After leaving the Bush campaign, Ginsberg retained his status as counsel to SBVT.

In January 2005, Governor [[Jeb Bush]], the President's brother and Florida chairman for his 2004 campaign,<ref name="floridacampaignorg">{{cite web|title=President George W. Bush-Campaign Organization, Florida|publisher=Democracy in Action|url=http://www.gwu.edu/~action/2004/bush/bushorgfl.html|access-date=2007-04-30}}</ref> sent a letter to SBVT member and former [[POW]] [[Bud Day]], thanking him for his "personal support of my brother in his re-election." In addition, Governor Bush said of the SBVT:

{{blockquote|As someone who truly understands the risk of standing up for something, I simply cannot express in words how much I value their willingness to stand up against John Kerry.<ref name="nytpressingcase"/><ref name="jebbushletter">{{cite web|last=Bush |first=Jeb |title=Dear Colonel Day |work=letter |publisher=thedemocraticdaily.com |date=2005-01-19 |url=http://www.thedemocraticdaily.com/JebBushSwiftBoatLetter.jpg |format=jpg |access-date=2007-04-30 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060812113723/http://www.thedemocraticdaily.com/JebBushSwiftBoatLetter.jpg |archive-date=August 12, 2006 }}</ref>}}