Mike Pompeo's new PAC shares something big in common with a war criminal pardoned by Trump

Pompeo's “pipehitters” project shares name with a foundation founded by a war criminal pardoned by Trump

Published June 15, 2021 7:28PM (EDT)

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo talks to journalists during a news conference during a NATO Foreign Ministers meeting at the NATO headquarters in Brussels, Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2019. ( (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo talks to journalists during a news conference during a NATO Foreign Ministers meeting at the NATO headquarters in Brussels, Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2019. ( (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)

Former Trump administration Secretary of State and potential 2024 presidential hopeful Mike Pompeo launched a new political action committee Tuesday aimed at helping Republicans flip a total of five precious congressional seats and hold onto occupied seats to emerge victorious from the 2022 midterms. But on Twitter, instead of the PAC drawing praise or recognition, it garnered endless ridicule due to the group's slogan calling on conservatives to become "pipehitters."

The organization coined "Champion American Values PAC" (CAVPAC) will seek to help "protect American values and to help Republicans take back majorities in both the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate as well as governorships and control of state legislatures all across America," according to its founder. 

The former Trump official turned 2024 GOP presidential hopeful has launched the political action committee in light of a potential run for the White House - all while currently racing across the country speaking and courting voters in key election swing states, including Iowa.

"Today at home, our foundational ideas are under attack more than ever before, and I intend to stay in the fight," Pompeo continued in his statement. "We named the organization CAVPAC as a nod to my time in the U.S. Army Cavalry – the CAV in the PAC.  My cavalry service taught me that America needs warriors who lead and are willing to ride first into the fight without fear. CAV also stands for Champion American Values – the values that we know have made our country exceptional."

The former Trump official then took to Twitter to call on fellow "pipehitter[s]" to join him on his mission. Notably, Pompeo, in an attached tweet from his newly formed group, defined the term "pipehitter" as: "Someone who is unapologetically American, someone who fights for our future, someone who never gives an inch, someone who is dedicated to stand against the radical Left's agenda."

But that's not the definition most Twitter users were thinking of....to wit: 

Yikes: 

Pipehitter is also the name of the foundation established by Eddie Gallagher, accused Afghanistan war criminal pardoned by Trump. 

On Tuesday afternoon, Pompeo told right-wing radio host Hugh Hewitt one of the key tenets of his new group's mission will be to prevent transgender athletes from participating in competitive sports. "We've got to make sure that our young people who, our young women don't have to compete against young men in sports," he stated. "We can't have our voices canceled."


By Zachary Petrizzo

Zachary Petrizzo was an investigative reporter at Salon. Follow him on Twitter @ZTPetrizzo.

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2022 Aggregation Eddie Gallagher Election Midterms Mike Pompeo