May 20, 2013
Grand Ridge, FL - 84 year old Cecil Scott served in the US Army in Korea. He was wounded in-action and received a purple heart.
"He threw it down, a grenade at me- I seen him throw it. I was behind a rock he was up on a hill. But I got him" Scott recalled of the attack that earned him the medal of honor.
With his military history, it was understandable why Scott was so upset by the letter he received Saturday. It questioned his citizenship and right to vote in the November election.
"I thought something crazy had happened" Scott said, adding that he experienced a whirlwind of emotions upon reading the letter at his mailbox.
"I'm [also] a citizen in the country I married my wife, Costa Rica. I'm a dual citizen" he told us, explaining he thought that could have been a reason for any registration mishap. He had also changed his party affiliation from democrat to republican. But, neither of those issues were problem for his registration status. Investigators said the letters were part of an organized scam to influence the outcome of the elections.
"It's pure hatred. I've never seen no dirtier thing you can do to a veteran. A combat veteran- take his rights away from him and tell him he may not be a citizen of this country? That hurts... bad. But, I guess we lived through this so we'll live through something else."
Scott said he had some ideas about how those responsible should be punished.
"They should lose everything they got like they tried to do me- take away my rights. They should take away theirs, everything they got."
Officials said anyone who has received a letter questioning their voter registration status should report it immediately to their county supervisor of elections office.
