Who Is Richard Blumenthal? Trump Blasts Him On Twitter

President Donald Trump took to Twitter Monday to blast Sen. Richard Blumenthal shortly after he appeared on CNN the same morning. The Democratic Connecticut senator spoke on CNN’s “New Day” about the possibility of collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia and how the Department of Justice’s crackdown on leaks is concerning.

“Interesting to watch Senator Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut talking about hoax Russian collusion when he was a phony Vietnam con artist!” said Trump on Twitter.

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The president took three tweets to criticize Blumenthal.

“Never in U.S.history has anyone lied or defrauded voters like Senator Richard Blumenthal,” said Trump. “He told stories about his Vietnam battles and conquests, how brave he was, and it was all a lie. He cried like a baby and begged for forgiveness like a child. Now he judges collusion?”

Blumenthal, 71, was the center of controversy when in 2010 he spoke about his military service. Blumenthal served in the Marine Reserve from 1970 to 1976. He served entirely in the U.S., but during a Senate campaign spoke about serving in Vietnam, instead of the Vietnam era which he later said is what he meant. Blumenthal also received several military deferments between 1965 and 1970.

“On a few occasions, I have misspoken about my service and I regret that. I take full responsibility, but I will not allow anyone to take a few misplaced words and impugn my record of military service,” said Blumenthal in Connecticut newspaper The Day at the time.

Trump received his own five deferments for military service during the Vietnam War.

Trump has gone after Blumenthal before, in February the president attacked Blumenthal about his Vietnam controversy after the senator revealed that Trump’s Supreme Court pick, Neil Gorsuch, called the president’s attacks on the federal judiciary disheartening. Blumenthal sits on the Senate Armed Services; Judiciary; Aging; and Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committees.

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Blumenthal has represented Connecticut in the Senate since 2011. Before that, he served as the Attorney General of Connecticut for 20 years beginning in 1991. From 1984 to 1987 he served in the Connecticut House of Representatives and from 1987 to 1991 he served in the Connecticut Senate. Blumenthal also was a volunteer counsel for the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP).

Blumenthal was married in 1982 and has four children. He attended Harvard University and got his law degree from Yale.