Dem Sen Jon Ossoff defends himself after GOP says he lied about veterans legislation

Democratic Georgia Sen. Jon Ossoff brushed off Republican criticism that he exaggerated – some have even said lied – about his role helping pass legislation aimed at preventing veterans from foreclosing on their homes. Claims that have been followed by inaccurate local media outlets indicating Ossoff co-sponsored the bill, even though he did not.

Ossoff posted video of a news report last week which chronicled how he held a press conference alongside local leaders and veterans groups after President Donald Trump signed the VA Home Loan Program Reform Act a few weeks ago to “talk about his bipartisan bill signed into law.” Ossoff also claimed in the caption that “the bipartisan VA Home Loan Reform Act [was] championed by Sen. Ossoff to protect veterans.” Additionally, the Atlanta-Journal Constitution claimed that Ossoff’s office sent out a news release after Trump signed the bill which described it as a piece of “bipartisan legislation that Sen. Ossoff championed to help veterans relying on VA home loans.”

But, according to a Fox News analysis, Ossoff is not a co-sponsor of the legislation, nor is there any record that he even voted for it, since the bill was passed by unanimous consent in the House and by a voice vote in the Senate. Ossoff did not offer up any Senate companion legislation either, and he was not present, nor did he speak, when the bill was considered on the Senate floor in July, a GOP source in the Senate alleged to Fox News Digital. 

GOP GEORGIA SENATE CANDIDATE TARGETS VULNERABLE JON OSSOFF IN AD DEPICTING TRANSGENDER ‘FAN’

Ossoff’s messaging to the press was subsequently blasted by Republicans who said he had “absolutely nothing” to do with the bill. When reached for comment about the discrepancy and the resulting criticism over what has been described by Republicans as lying, Ossoff’s team claimed that Ossoff was simply praising the passage of a bipartisan bill that solved a problem that was self-created by Republicans.  

“The Trump administration canceled the VASP program, and Sen. Ossoff sounded the alarm that its cancellation risked veteran homelessness, then celebrated the passage of a bipartisan bill to solve the problem,” an Ossoff campaign person told Fox News Digital. “This is the best they’ve got?”

The spokesperson is right that the VA Home Loan Reform Act is intended to replace the Veterans Affairs Servicing Purchase (VASP) program, which Ossof previously slammed the Trump administration for ending. But, according to Rep. Derrick Van Orden, R-Wis., lead sponsor of the VA Home Loan Reform Act, the VASP program was “fiscally irresponsible” and was “endangering the entire VA home loan guarantee program.”

After Van Orden highlighted Ossoff’s social media posts claiming he “championed” the new veteran foreclosure bill, accusing the Georgia senator of a “bald faced lie,” other Republicans followed suit and attacked Ossoff on social media as well.

VANCE TOUTS TRUMP’S TAX BILL, TAKES SHOT AT LOCAL DEM SENATOR DURING GEORGIA TRIP

“Pathetic, disgusting lies,” added Rep. Buddy Carter, R-Ga. “Congrats on showing Georgians you’re not above using veterans as props for your press stunts. Your empty suit gimmicks spit in the face of people you claim to serve.”

“What Jon Ossoff is doing is called hogwash,” said Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C. “He had nothing to do with this Republican effort to assist veterans. But now in his political desperation, he’s trying to take credit. Georgia deserves so much better.”

“Sen. Ossoff had absolutely nothing to do with this bill, and I mean nothing,” Van Orden added. “He did not even VOTE for it, it passed by UC. This disgusting and shameful behavior must stop. Veterans are not political props.”

It appears Ossoff’s claims led to multiple local news outlets pushing inaccuracies about his role in helping pass the Veterans Affairs legislation. 

WSB Radio in Atlanta, for example, posted an article titled “New law co-sponsored by Sen. Jon Ossoff aims to prevent veteran foreclosures.” But, according to the details of the bill on Congress.gov, Van Orden was the bill’s sole sponsor.

The bill was passed to the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee for approval before a Senate-wide voice vote that sent the bill to the president’s desk. Ossoff is not a member of that committee, either.

“Ossoff’s team announced that President Trump signed the Veterans Affairs (VA) Home Loan Program Reform Act into law on Wednesday, a bipartisan legislation that the U.S. Senator co-sponsored and supported to help veterans who were relying on VA loans,” said a July 30 article from WRBL in Columbus, Georgia.

Ossoff will be running to keep his seat in 2026, after he was forced to go to a runoff in 2021 when he first ran for the Senate against GOP incumbent David Perdue. 

The GOP field that will be challenging Ossoff includes Derek Dooley, a former football coach at the University of Tennessee and reportedly an ally of GOP Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp. Georgia Republican Reps. Mike Collins and Buddy Carter have also put their hats in the ring.