The Washington Post is facing criticism for a recent article that questioned the validity of a bullet wound sustained by a Republican Senate candidate, Tim Sheehy, during his service in Afghanistan. Sheehy initially claimed the injury occurred during a fall in Montana in 2015 but later revealed the true cause. The Post quoted experts who raised doubts about Sheehy's account, but failed to disclose their ties to the Democratic Party.
One of the experts, Joseph V. Sakran, a trauma surgeon and Democratic donor, cast doubt on the nature of Sheehy's wound. Sakran has a history of supporting Democratic candidates and causes. Another expert, Rachel VanLandingham, a former Air Force attorney and Democratic donor, questioned Sheehy's decision not to report the incident.
Katherine Kuzminski, the director of a veterans program, also weighed in, expressing skepticism about the likelihood of a civilian hospital reporting an old bullet wound to the Navy. Kuzminski has connections to the Biden administration and has made statements critical of Republican views on military diversity.
The article has drawn backlash from Republican Senator Tom Cotton, who criticized it as a politically motivated attack on Sheehy's character. Sheehy's campaign has dismissed the claims as a smear tactic and expressed confidence in his ability to win the upcoming election against Democratic incumbent Jon Tester.
Despite the controversy, the Washington Post, the experts quoted, Tester's campaign, Johns Hopkins Hospital, and the Navy have not responded to requests for comment on the matter.
