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Rep. Dan Crenshaw hit back at far-right activists who slammed him for missing some votes this week by saying ‘being with my brothers was simply more important’ after he attended the funeral of an ‘active duty SEAL’ in San Diego.
On the same day Crenshaw was in California, Cmdr. Robert Ramirez III, 47, a war hero whose awards include medals for service in Iraq and Afghanistan, was buried at Miramar National Cemetery.
It’s not clear if Crenshaw was at Ramirez’s funeral. DailyMail.com has reached out to Crenshaw’s office for comment. Last month, the San Diego medical examiner’s office told MailOnline that Ramirez died by suicide.
Crenshaw was responding to activist Laura Loomer who called the Texas congressman a ‘RINO,’ a Republican in Name Only, on Twitter for missing a vote on the whether to Establish a Select Subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government. The bill passed without Crenshaw’s vote.
Crenshaw replied to Loomer: ‘Yes Laura, it was on purpose. I flew to San a Diego for a funeral for a friend and active duty SEAL. Kindly delete your toxic and obsessive trolling, if you don’t mind.’
Rep. Dan Crenshaw was criticized for missing votes in Congress this week
In a separate message to Trump acolyte Alex Bruesewitz, Crenshaw tweeted: ‘I missed some votes this week on account of a funeral in San Diego for my friend and fellow SEAL. Being with my brothers was simply more important. Thankful that my obsessive trolls on twitter noticed my brief absence.’
The Republican from Katy, Texas, also missed a vote on a rules package.
The only funeral at the federal military cemetery in San Diego on Tuesday, January 10, the day of the missed votes, was that of Cmdr. Robert Ramirez III.
Ramirez, who was known as Bobby to friends and family, was buried at Miramar National Cemetery. His hearse was escorted to the graveyard by the Patriot Guard Riders, a group of bikers who attend the funerals of fallen servicemen and women.
Crenshaw, 37, is a Navy veteran and veteran’s advocate who lost his right eye and suffered damage to his left eye in 2012 when a homemade bomb exploded when he was deployed to Afghanistan.
He completed SEAL qualification training in 2008 and went on to serve for ten years with five tours of duty achieving the rank of lieutenant commander. During his first deployment to Fallujah in Iraq, Crenshaw became a member of SEAL Team 3.
The three-term congressman was back in DC the day after Ramirez’s funeral to vote on the so-called Born Alive Act.
The new GOP-led House passed one resolution Wednesday to condemn attacks on anti-abortion facilities, including crisis pregnancy centers, and a separate bill that would impose new penalties if a doctor refused to care for an infant born alive after an abortion attempt, known as the Born Alive Act.
Cmdr Robert Ramirez III, 47, was found dead in December after taking his own life. Friends and colleagues paid tribute to a ‘great hero’ and ‘amazing human’
Crenshaw was responding to activist Laura Loomer who called the Texas congressman a ‘RINO’ on Twitter for missing a vote on the whether to Establish a Select Subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government
Crenshaw was back in DC on Wednesday to vote on new abortion legislation in the House that is unlikely to make it passed the Senate
Cmdr. Ramirez had only taken command of the elite SEAL Team 1 in November, having arrived at the unit in June.
He joined the military in 1996 and was commissioned in 2008.
He has three Combat Action Ribbons, including for service in both Iraq and Afghanistan.
His other decorations include five Bronze Star Medals, two with the Combat ‘V’ device denoting valor and acts of heroism.
Miguel Riggs, a childhood friend and former basketball teammate, described Ramirez as a ‘very bright man’.
Ramirez, pictured with his family, joined the military in 1996 and was commissioned in 2008. He has three Combat Action Ribbons, including for service in both Iraq and Afghanistan
Military colleagues remembered him as a ‘great hero’ and ‘brother and friend’.
Capt. David Abernathy, commanding officer of Naval Special Warfare Group 1, which manages all San Diego-based SEAL teams, said: ‘Bobby was an outstanding leader, devoted husband and father, and a good friend to us all.
‘This is a devastating loss to our community and all who knew him. We will remain in support of Bobby’s family, friends and teammates during this extremely difficult time.’
The San Diego sheriff opened an investigation into the death but ruled out foul play.
He was married to wife Anne and had four children together. The Navy SEAL Foundation has set up a fundraising page for his family.
A friend, Jennifer James, said: ‘I am devastated. Anne Ramirez and Robert Ramirez III have been my friends since high school and have represented our country through multiple deployments and sacrifices to serve the mission of the USA.
‘We lost an amazing human on Monday and Anne and Bobby’s story must be told.’
Obi Ugochukwu, a Navy medic, said: ‘This is just a devastating loss. The pain of this loss cuts really deep.
‘Many of us were at Bobby’s Change of Command Ceremony and it was such a joyous occasion. I can’t understand this and I am just praying for Anne, the children and the rest of the family.
‘We lost a GREAT HERO and this will hurt for a very long time.’
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