BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) — A former Park Service ranger said Friday that U.S. Senate hopeful Tim Sheehy of Montana has been lying about a bullet wound that the candidate said came from fighting in Afghanistan — going public with an accusation that has nagged the Republican’s campaign for months.
The claim from former ranger Kim Peach that Sheehy in fact shot himself on a family trip in Montana was immediately dismissed by Sheehy and his allies as a smear campaign engineered by Democrats in a race that's expected to help decide control of the Senate.
But with the election less than three weeks away, it adds to the huge pressures that the political newcomer already faced as he challenges three-term Democratic incumbent Sen. Jon Tester.
Sheehy is a former U.S. Navy SEAL and his military record is a centerpiece of his bid for office. During stump speeches and in a book published by Sheehy last year, he recounts being wounded on multiple occasions during combat, including in the arm in 2012.
Sheehy was awarded a Purple Heart for wounds sustained in a separate combat incident and was also awarded a Bronze Star.
A Sheehy campaign spokesperson said Peach was a partisan Democrat pushing a “defamatory story.”
“Anyone trying to take away from the fact that Tim Sheehy signed up for war as a young man and spent most of his 20s in some of the most dangerous places in the world is either a partisan hack, a journalist with an agenda, or outright a disgusting person,” spokesperson Katie Martin said.
He’s faced scrutiny over the arm wound since April, when The Washington Post quoted a Glacier National Park ranger anonymously saying Sheehy accidentally shot himself in 2015, when he was travelling with his family and his gun fell out of a vehicle and fired when it hit the ground in a parking lot on Logan Pass. The ranger who was quoted in the story was Peach.
Sheehy was ticketed and paid a $525 fine for illegally discharging a firearm in Glacier, government records show.
The Republican candidate said in response to the April story that he lied to the park ranger — not about being wounded in Afghanistan.
Sheehy said he fell while hiking at Glacier and injured his arm, then concocted the story about the bullet wound to cover up the fact that the 2012 incident may have been friendly fire. He said he didn’t want members of his SEAL unit in Afghanistan to suffer any consequences.
With absentee voting in Montana underway and Sheehy poised for potential victory, Peach, a Democrat, said Friday that he “couldn’t let him get way with something like that without the truth being told.”
Peach said he interviewed Sheehy at the hospital where he was treated for the bullet wound and briefly confiscated the gun. Before returning it, Peach said he unloaded the weapon and found five lives rounds and one that had been fired.
“At the time, he was obviously embarrassed about it. And you know, he admitted to what I was there for — the gun going off in the park," Peach told The Associated Press. “He knows the truth and the truth isn't complicated. It's when you start lying things get complicated.”
His decision to go public was reported earlier by the Post.
Attorneys for Sheehy's campaign said Peach’s recent statements differ from the facts in a declaration submitted by the ranger after interviewing Sheehy in 2015.
The declaration made no mention of Peach examining the gun and finding only five live rounds, the attorneys wrote in a letter provided by the campaign. There was no gunshot residue on Sheehy when he went to the hospital, nor any gunshots reported in Glacier that day, the attorneys said.
"There is no physical evidence suggesting that Mr. Sheehy discharged his firearm at Glacier National Park. Because it didn’t happen," attorneys Daniel Watkins and Dustin Pusch wrote.
Peach worked as a park ranger for more than three decades and is now retired. He lives in small town near Glacier. He's posted a photo of himself on social media wearing a “Make America Wrong Again” hat and said he votes for Democrats.
He denied any connection with the Tester campaign or other Democratic organizations.
A recent Tester campaign ad criticizes Sheehy for lying about the gunshot wound. A campaign spokesperson did not have an immediate comment Friday.
The Montana Democratic Party seized on Peach’s latest comments as providing a “firsthand account” of what happened to Sheehy.
But Mike Berg, communications director for the National Republican Senatorial Committee, rejected the latest reiteration of the accusations against Sheehy. He suggested it's a sign of Democrats' desperation because they fear Tester will lose.
“It's the last gasp of a career politician who sees his career about to end,” Berg said.
FILE - Tim Sheehy speaking during the second day of the Republican National Convention, July 16, 2024, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File)
SHARJAH, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Suzie Bates held her nerve in the final over as New Zealand advanced to the Women’s T20 World Cup final for the first time in 14 years with an eight-run victory over West Indies on Friday.
Bates (1-6) bowled her only over with West Indies needing 15 more runs to win the semifinal match at Sharjah Cricket Stadium. The right-arm medium conceded a four off the first delivery before taking a wicket and conceding only two runs in the rest of the over.
Eden Carson took 3-29, while Amelia Kerr picked up 2-14 in four overs, as New Zealand restricted West Indies' chase to 120-8 in 20 overs. This was after 2016 champion West Indies had bowled well enough to restrain New Zealand to a competitive 128-9 after the White Ferns chose to bat first.
New Zealand is twice runners-up in this tournament — 2009 and 2010.
It will now take on South Africa in Sunday's final at Dubai, where a first-time champion will be crowned.
South Africa stunned defending champion Australia in the first semifinal on Thursday, winning by eight wickets to reach its second straight final.
Earlier, Bates had led a fine opening charge with 26 runs off 28 balls, and put on 48 off 50 with Georgia Plimmer.
Plimmer top scored for New Zealand with a 31-ball 33, including her team's only six and three fours. After Bates’ dismissal in the ninth over, Plimmer held the innings together as New Zealand lost Amelia Kerr (7) and skipper Sophie Devine (12) cheaply.
West Indies' Deandra Dottin produced an all-round performance on the night, starting with 4-22 in four overs. She had sent back Kerr, and then claimed another three wickets through the lower-middle order.
Dottin had support from Afy Fletcher, who took 2-23, as the duo squeezed runs late into the New Zealand innings.
Brooke Halliday scored 18 off nine balls, while Isabella Gaze’s 20 not out off 14 balls helped her team reach a defendable total.
In reply, West Indies looked for a quick start but it didn’t happen as Carson bowled Qiana Joseph for 12. Lea Tahuhu proved expensive overall (1-33 in three overs), but picked up the vital early wicket of skipper Hayley Matthews (15).
Off-spinner Carson didn’t allow West Indies’ big hitters to get going. Shemaine Campbelle was out caught for three, while Carson bowled Stefanie Taylor for 13.
West Indies was 63-5 in the 14th over, when Dottin smacked 33 off 22, including three sixes, to deflate the opposition.
“When Dottin was pumping us, we believed and stuck it out to get over the line,” said Carson, who was named player of the match. “We had to defend a below par total and get those early wickets because West Indies is a dangerous side.”
It was Kerr who provided the turning point — Dottin holed out in the 17th over.
After a nervous start to the last over, Bates dismissed Zaida James off the third ball.
AP cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket
New Zealand's Molly Penfold drops a catch from West Indies' Zaida James during the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2024 semi-final match between New Zealand and West Indies at Sharjah Stadium, United Arab Emirates, Friday, Oct. 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)
West Indies' captain Hayley Matthews plays a shot during the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2024 semi-final match between New Zealand and West Indies at Sharjah Stadium, United Arab Emirates, Friday, Oct. 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)
West Indies' Deandra Dottin plays a shot during the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2024 semi-final match between New Zealand and West Indies at Sharjah Stadium, United Arab Emirates, Friday, Oct. 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)
New Zealand's Fran Jonas celebrates after taking a catch to dismiss West Indies' Deandra Dottin during the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2024 semi-final match between New Zealand and West Indies at Sharjah Stadium, United Arab Emirates, Friday, Oct. 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)
New Zealand's Fran Jonas, left, celebrates the dismissal of West Indies' Chedean Nationduring the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2024 semi-final match between New Zealand and West Indies at Sharjah Stadium, United Arab Emirates, Friday, Oct. 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)
West Indies' Afy Fletcher, right, celebrates with teammates after the dismissal of New Zealand's captain Sophie Devine during the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2024 semi-final match between New Zealand and West Indies at Sharjah Stadium, United Arab Emirates, Friday, Oct. 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)
West Indies' Deandra Dottin bowls a delivery during the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2024 semi-final match between New Zealand and West Indies at Sharjah Stadium, United Arab Emirates, Friday, Oct. 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)
New Zealand's Suzie Bates plays a shot during the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2024 semi-final match between New Zealand and West Indies at Sharjah Stadium, United Arab Emirates, Friday, Oct. 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)
West Indies' Chinelle Henry bowls a delivery during the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2024 semi-final match between New Zealand and West Indies at Sharjah Stadium, United Arab Emirates, Friday, Oct. 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)
West Indies' Shemaine Campbelle chases a ball during the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2024 semi-final match between New Zealand and West Indies at Sharjah Stadium, United Arab Emirates, Friday, Oct. 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)
West Indies' Zaida James unsuccessfully attempts to field a ball during the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2024 semi-final match between New Zealand and West Indies at Sharjah Stadium, United Arab Emirates, Friday, Oct. 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)
New Zealand's Suzie Bates reacts after getting bowled out during the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2024 semi-final match between New Zealand and West Indies at Sharjah Stadium, United Arab Emirates, Friday, Oct. 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)
West Indies' Deandra Dottin, center, celebrates with teammates after the dismissal of New Zealand's Maddy Green during the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2024 semi-final match between New Zealand and West Indies at Sharjah Stadium, United Arab Emirates, Friday, Oct. 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)
New Zealand's Georgia Plimmer plays a shot during the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2024 semi-final match between New Zealand and West Indies at Sharjah Stadium, United Arab Emirates, Friday, Oct. 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)
New Zealand's Eden Carson, right, celebrates with teammates after the dismissal of West Indies' Stafanie Taylor during the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2024 semi-final match between New Zealand and West Indies at Sharjah Stadium, United Arab Emirates, Friday, Oct. 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)
New Zealand's players celebrate after wining against West Indies' during the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2024 semi-final match at Dubai International Cricket Stadium, United Arab Emirates, Friday, Oct. 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)
New Zealand's players celebrate after wining against West Indies' during the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2024 semi-final match at Dubai International Cricket Stadium, United Arab Emirates, Friday, Oct. 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)
