Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA) held a public forum in California on Monday to hear from Gold Star families. These grieving people were the parents and loved ones of the military service members lost during Joe Biden’s botched withdrawal from Afghanistan. Escondido Mayor Dane White hosted Issa’s forum. The fallen were stationed at Camp Pendleton.

RIGHT NOW: I am in Escondido where Mayor @Dwhite1904 is hosting #C48’s @repdarrellissa for an Afghanistan Gold Star Families Public Forum, where family members of those killed during Biden’s chaotic withdrawal are speaking jointly for the first time

(1/xx) pic.twitter.com/jbRpV73IPG

— Matthew Foldi (@MatthewFoldi) August 7, 2023

I saw some of the session and it was truly heartbreaking. The grief is still fresh for these families. Family members, usually a parent, spoke about their loved ones for the first time in a public forum. Members of Congress joined Issa to hear their stories. The forum is a part of Issa’s dedication to finding out answers and holding those accountable who were responsible for the chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan. Thirteen service members were lost in a terrorist bombing at the Kabul airport. The suicide bombing also killed many Afghans, and left 18 U.S. service members wounded.

The testimony of one Gold Star mom, Cheryl Rex, who lost her son, Lance Cpl. Dylan Merola, told a story that was as infuriating as it was heartbreaking. Joe Biden told the fake story he tells about being a Gold Star dad himself because he claims his son, Beau, died and was brought home in a flag-draped coffin. She knew that Beau died of cancer and his family was with him.

Cheryl Rex, mother of Lance Cpl. Dylan Merola:

"When [Biden] approached me, his words to me were, 'My wife, Jill & I, know how you feel. We lost our son as well and brought him home in a flag draped coffin.'"

"My heart started beating faster & I started shaking, knowing that… pic.twitter.com/lLMRokjEdY

— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) August 7, 2023

She wondered how the man could be so cruel. The thing is that Joe Biden is a habitual liar and he also suffers with dementia. It’s hard to know if he tells that story because he has told it so often and believes it now or because he thinks it happened due to his dementia. Either way, it is not conduct from the Commander-in-Chief that a grieving mother should have to endure.

You may remember the moment caught on video of Biden looking at his watch as he attended the dignified transfer at Dover Air Force Base. That was a bad moment.

Some parents mentioned that Biden’s description of the withdrawal as “successful” was particularly hurtful. It was in no way successful after the loss of life and those who were injured in the bombing attack. The investigation into the exit from Afghanistan brought out plenty of missteps and poor decisions being made. Most of all, Joe Biden, who never served in the military ( he received deferments from serving in Vietnam) decided to ignore the advice of his military leaders and advisers. He used his own judgement and the rest is history. Those young people did not have to die.

It has been two years since that horrible day. One mother said that no one from the Biden administration, including Biden, has reached out to the families. No contact with them at all. This is a heartless administration. What happened to the empathy we were told Joe Biden possessed? It was a lie, too.

I hope these families eventually can find peace. God bless them for raising such children who volunteered to serve in the military.