Contrary to Rumors, August Pfluger Served Trump's NSC "With Distinction"

SAN ANGELO, TX — August Pfluger was forced to resign from the National Security Council, read a comment on a post found on the Wes Virdell for Congress - District 11 Facebook page. Wes Virdell, of Brady, is a fellow U.S. Air Force veteran who served in an ICBM wing. After his service, he returned to Brady where is runs his family’s diesel mechanics shop.

Both Pfluger and Virdell are vying for the Republican nod to run for Congress in Congressional District 11, a district that spans 29 counties from Granbury through San Angelo to the Permian Basin.

Virdell claims to be a staunch supporter of gun ownership rights and the Second Amendment. And, many of his Facebook commenters are suspicious of August Pfluger, who left active duty to run for congress and is running against Virdell.

One commenter, Nathan Criswell, who for a while was running for Hood County Commissioner in Granbury, commented, “August doesn’t deserve to be congressman. And why won’t he answer questions about his very short tenure with Trump admin? Asked to resign?”

Virdell said he has heard the charge that Pfluger was fired or asked to resign from the NSC. “I do not know about that. That has been rumored for a while, but I have not seen any evidence of it,” he told us when we asked if he was aware of the charge made on his Facebook page. “My goal is to bring truth to light and make sure voters have a fair and honest Representative for this district.”

We reached out to the National Security Council and asked about August Pfluger’s service there.

“August served with distinction and would still be serving at the White House today had it not been for his decision to run for Congress,” said NSC spokesman in Washington, D.C. Michael Martin.

Pfluger’s tenure at the NSC of three months was short but others working with him there gave him praise.

Speaking on background, a colleague said, “While at the National Security Council, August made key contributions to the Trump Administration’s defense policy. We appreciate August’s service to our nation as a military officer and member of the National Security Council staff, and we wish him well as he seeks the opportunity to continue to serve in a new capacity.”

Now, Let’s look at the guy who claimed Pfluger was forced to resign from the NSC.

Criswell, who was appointed to be the Hood County Republican Chairman in January 2019, stepped down suddenly on May 18, according to the Hood County News. Days prior, on May 6, Criswell was accused of domestic violence against his wife.

The Hood County News reported that a protective order was issued against him after “he admitted placing his then-wife in a chokehold. Jeannylee Figuero Morales [his wife] sustained other injuries as well due, she said, to Criswell throwing her across their living room. Morales fled the home that night with the couple's two toddler daughters and the three of them lived for several weeks in Mission Granbury's shelter,” the Hood County News reported.

Criswell was the campaign manager for Hood County Sheriff Roger Deeds. When news of the domestic violence incident became public, Deeds revoked his endorsement of Criswell, the News reported. The charges against Criswell “no-billed” at a grand jury. Still, the fallout was too much for Criswell’s campaign for county commissioner. He withdrew his candidacy Dec. 9, 2019.