It is unclear how much of the money went to paid tributes.
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WASHINGTON, D.C. (KTVI)- A pair of U.S. Senators released a report Wednesday critical of millions in taxpayer dollars spent by the Department of Defense on everything from flag details and national anthem performances, to troop recognition events and ceremonial puck drops at pro college athletic events. Numerous agreements involved the National Guard.
Other Boston sports teams also received Pentagon payments, according to the report.
The report lists more than $12 million in contracts between the Defense Department and sports teams. The Falcons were paid the most for their displays of patriotism, raking in $879,000.
NFL, NBA, NHL, Major League Baseball and Major League Soccer teams were mentioned and grouped by league. Fans and troops are led to believe that the presentations are purely motivated by patriotism, he and Mr Flake said.
The Maryland National Guard paid the Baltimore Ravens $534,500 in fiscal years 2013 and 2014, according to the report.
The senators noted that much of this money was paid out as the military asked Congress for additional dollars.
“If we do not have a sponsor for these salutes in the future, we plan to continue them on the same merit on which they originated”, said Matthew Chmura, the team spokesman.
However, McCain added that “it would be entirely appropriate for these sports teams that were awarded taxpayer money to donate that to a worthy cause, causes like wounded warriors or others specific to the men and women serving our nation”.
“I’m not aware that the president has weighed in on this, and I will acknowledge that I’m not aware of the policies that govern those kinds of relationships”, Earnest said. But a few of these events are little more than marketing gimmicks, said Sen. “Sports events are an important component of this process”, he wrote.
“Given the huge sacrifices made by our service members, it seems more appropriate that any organization with a genuine interest in honoring them, and deriving public credit as a result, should do so at its own expense and not at that of the American taxpayer”, the report stated.
The senators say these actions were “inappropriate and frivolous.” during a news conference, they criticized the Department of Defense for failing to disclose such deals.
The team also wore a Maryland National Guard patch on its practice jerseys.
“Fans should have confidence that their hometown heroes are being honored because of their honorable military service, not as a marketing ploy”, Senator McCain said in a statement.
McCain, chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said he was not planning to hold hearings on the issue.
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Numerous critics have pointed to patriotic displays at sporting events as a sign of the growing rift in American society, often cited by the military itself, between civilians and the so-called “one percent” who serve in uniform.
