Orange County Register

If you’ve been following the story of former county Supervisor Edison Miller, you know the Irvine resident was a POW with John McCain in Vietnam and spoke out against the war. McCain has accused him of doing even more - actively aiding the enemy.  

Yestereday, I posted Miller’s response to my story in which he disputes McCain’s account. Today, I print a response from John M. Rau, who helped Bruce Nestande defeat Miller in the 1980 race for supervisor.

The following email discusses a piece of campaign literature alleging Miller was a communist collaborator. Miller’s subsequent libel suit against Nestande himself was eventually dismissed. There were no legal findings that the campaign document were or were not true, only that Miller was fair game for such accusations because he was a public figure.

If you don’t already see it, click on the following prompt for Rau’s email to me today.

Rau’s Aug. 13, 2008 email on Edison Miller:

As someone who was intimately involved in the Nestande vs. Miller campaign, I believe there are several points - of vital importance - to be added to this report:

1. There should be NO inference drawn that John McCain was a “sole accuser” of Miller. A campaign mailing sent to all voters was signed (personally, 11 pages of two columns of holographic signatures) by over 200 former POWs, condemning Miller for his actions, and as unfit for office.

2. I personally met with a number of these POW’s, and heard from them far stronger feelings, emotion and condemnation. He and Wilbur were felt - by all of them - not just John McCain - to be traitors to the USA and their military branch.

3. Edison Miller sued me (and Nestande and the POWs) for two million dollars - for defaming him. After taking my deposition, his lawyer offered (and settled) for $5,000, which my insurance company, of course, took; muchcheaper than any further defense. But we all considered that a tacit agreement, showing that he had no case.

4. As the incumbent County Supervisor, Miller only polled 15% of thevote; another form of proof.

5. John McCain didn’t “lie”; over 200 fellow POW’s corroborated him, and those are just the ones we could reach in time. No one “stood up” for Miller.

I thought you ought to know.

John M. Rau
WWII & Korea Combat Veteran
Orange, CA

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