A California congressional candidate and boyfriend of a San Diego billionaire heiress is in sizzling water for allegedly fudging particulars of his army service to assist his marketing campaign — going as far as to stage marketing campaign photographs on the gravesite of a deceased Navy veteran.
The US Navy is investigating claims that Ammar Campa-Najjar — a Navy Reserve officer and boyfriend of Rep. Sara Jacobs who’s working his third marketing campaign for Congress — violated Division of Protection guidelines towards campaigning in army garb.
“Lt. j.g. Campa-Najjar is a Navy Reserve officer assigned to Fleet Public Affairs Middle San Diego,” stated a US Navy spokesperson in an announcement.
“The Navy is wanting into the matter. We now have nothing additional to supply.”
Campa-Najjar’s marketing campaign web site options photographs of himself in Navy uniform — which is permitted so long as there’s a disclaimer that the candidate just isn’t endorsed by the army.
However he seems to have inflated his place — describing himself as a “Navy Officer” in marketing campaign filings and on social media earlier than modifying the mentions in current weeks.
“There’s a matter of integrity,” Brian VanRiper, a Marine veteran and Democratic marketing campaign guide, advised KBPS. “Veterans can instantly odor this out shortly.”
Below army directives, reserve officers “should clearly point out” their reserve standing.
“Whereas the Navy has not requested any adjustments be made, the marketing campaign is glad to incorporate extra particulars of Ammar’s service to the nation,” Campa-Najjar’s spokesperson, Aaron Rodriquez, advised The Submit in an e mail.
“Ammar is a proud Navy Reserve Officer who has been on energetic obligation standing all through intervals of his profession, together with within the Phillipines, in addition to at Pacific Fleet Head Quarters and Fort Meade.”
Campa-Najjar — the grandson of a Palestinian militant who’s racked up endorsements from high Dems like Rep. Eric Swalwell, Rep. Ted Lieu and Jacobs, his personal girlfriend — has posted photographs of himself in uniform on his Fb and Instagram accounts since becoming a member of the Navy Reserve in 2023, after his most up-to-date failed marketing campaign for mayor of Chula Vista.
In a single picture, which was later used on his marketing campaign web site, he’s seen saluting the grave website of a deceased Navy officer and Korean Warfare veteran named Richard Okay. Stephenson — a attainable violation of federal legal guidelines and Veterans Affairs laws that strictly bar marketing campaign actions at nationwide cemeteries.
The picture has since been eliminated.
Campa-Najjar has no relationship with Stephenson, who died in 1997, his marketing campaign admitted.
“There isn’t any private relationship with Mr. Stephenson; the photograph displays Ammar taking part in an official Memorial Day occasion the place he, alongside his unit, honored fallen service members. At no level did the marketing campaign interact in political exercise at a VA cemetery, and any suggestion in any other case is a misrepresentation of each the details and the relevant guidelines,” Rodriguez advised The Submit.
“If this story is supposed to boost questions on Ammar’s service, the details are simple: he has served honorably, adopted all relevant laws, and been clear about his document. We encourage a concentrate on points that really influence service members and their households slightly than makes an attempt to fabricate controversy.”
The candidate for California’s forty eighth District — who’s raked in additional than $200,000 from Jacobs and her prolonged household throughout his three ill-fated political campaigns — has since up to date his web site and marketing campaign supplies to notice his reserve standing.
Najjar’s alleged misrepresentations and odd political historical past have earned eye-rolls from fellow Dems — a few of whom warned towards endorsing him.
Campa-Najjar first ran for Congress as a Bernie bro-style lefty and misplaced to Rep. Duncan Hunter, who was then beneath federal indictment.
He made a baffling U-turn in his subsequent failed marketing campaign — holding a marketing campaign occasion with a far-right group and claiming he opposed abortion and assault weapons bans — earlier than dropping to Rep. Darrell Issa.
He then parachuted into close by Chula Vista, working once more as a liberal and dropping to Republican John McCann within the predominantly Democratic metropolis.
A letter penned by San Diego County Dem official Lauren Cazares and different native Dems cited his “repeated defeats” and “lack of clear rules” in urging Democrats to not again him within the high-stakes congressional race.
“Campa-Najjar has misplaced three straight races to Republicans: in 2018 and 2020 for Congress, and once more in 2022 for Chula Vista Mayor — every time in winnable territory,” the letter stateed.
Jacobs, the granddaughter of Qualcomm founder Irwin Jacobs, has reportedly escorted Campa-Najjar round high-dollar occasions like an annual Democratic Congressional Marketing campaign Committee retreat in posh Torrey Pines.
Campa-Najjar’s major Democratic rival within the main is Marni Von Wilpert, a member of the San Diego Metropolis Council.
They’re competing in a top-two main towards Republican Jim Desmond, a member of the San Diego Board of Supervisors. Incumbent Rep. Darrell Issa introduced his retirement earlier this month.
