A Hillary Clinton campaign volunteer who called Navy SEAL widow Carryn Owens an “idiot” on Twitter has been fired for his inappropriate tweet, according to his employer.
“Last night during President Trump’s speech, a Liberty Advisor Group employee sent out an offensive and inappropriate tweet regarding the Gold Star family that was being rightly honored before Congress and the Nation. The personal views of this individual do not represent Liberty and we vigorously disavow them,” the company said in a statement posted to its website.
“Regardless of whether the comments in the tweet were intended to cause the hurt and anger that they ultimately generated, they were unacceptable to us, and the individual who issued the tweet is no longer affiliated with Liberty,” it said.
The volunteer, Dan Grilo, tweeted last night: “Sorry, Owens’ wife, you’re not helping yourself or your husband’s memory by standing there and clapping like an idiot. Trump just used you.”
Grilo, who identified himself as a Clinton ’16 campaign volunteer (and also “Obama 08/12”), locked his Twitter account, and then deleted it. However, the tweet was captured by many on Twitter, who contacted Liberty Advisor Group to notify it of the tweet.
The tweet came after Trump paid tribute to Owens in an especially touching moment during his first address to a joint session of Congress.
“We are blessed to be joined tonight by Carryn Owens, the widow of the U.S. Navy Special Operator, Senior Chief William ‘Ryan’ Owens,” Trump said. “Ryan died as he lived: a warrior, and a hero — battling against terrorism and securing our nation.”
Trump even addressed her personally — stepping away from his prepared remarks to comment on the lengthy applause by members of Congress.
“Ryan is looking down right now, and he’s very happy because, I think, he just broke a record,” he told her.
Owens, who was present in the chamber, sat with her hands clasped and tears streaming down her face as members of Congress delivered the longest applause of the evening.
Owens was the first U.S. service member killed under the Trump administration, during a raid in Yemen on January 29 that was planned during the Obama administration, but delayed until after Trump was sworn in.
“Ryan’s legacy is etched into eternity. For as the Bible teaches us, there is no greater act of love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. Ryan laid down his life for his friends, for his country, and for our freedom — we will never forget him,” he said.
Read Liberty Advisor Group’s full statement below:
Last night during President Trump’s speech, a Liberty Advisor Group employee sent out an offensive and inappropriate tweet regarding the Gold Star family that was being rightly honored before Congress and the Nation. The personal views of this individual do not represent Liberty and we vigorously disavow them.
Although the message and subsequent apologies were sent from an individual’s personal account, and bore no connection to his work with Liberty, his comments were inconsistent with the Company’s values and the unyielding respect it has for the members of our Nation’s Armed Forces. Regardless of whether the comments in the tweet were intended to cause the hurt and anger that they ultimately generated, they were unacceptable to us, and the individual who issued the tweet is no longer affiliated with Liberty.
Liberty’s culture places a high value on the men and women of America’s military who fight to defend us and our families. We honor them. We want to express our sincere condolences to Mrs. Owens. We also apologize to all those who have served this nation, including those Liberty employees who have themselves served, and anyone else who was offended by these comments.
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