Council bid still under fire

A group of veterans gathered across the street from City Hall yesterday to criticize a City Council candidate for claims about his military record.

Republican at-large candidate David Oh, who also ran in 2003 and 2007, claimed on campaign literature he was a U.S. special forces officer, a “Green Beret.” Oh has since revised his stance, saying on his website, “Although David is not Special Forces qualified, he is proud of his 3 years of service with the 20th Special Forces Group (Airborne).”

John Murphy, a Vietnam veteran and retired colonel with the Army special forces, said there’s a big difference, and that Oh cannot be trusted.

“This isn’t about politics. I’m a Republican and I’d like to see Republicans win. However, I don’t want to see anybody win who has no character, who’s dishonest, because he’s not going to represent his constituents the way they need to be represented. He’s going to lie to them,” Murphy said.

Oh’s campaign pointed to endorsements by the United Veterans Council and the Philadelphia Vietnam Veterans Memorial Society.

“We stand by the United Veterans Council of Philadelphia, their unanimous endorsement, and they represent 22 separate veterans organizations,” said campaign spokesman John Katrina. “It’s that word against that of a group whose beginnings are uncertain.”