On Tuesday, we told you about the $80,000 VoteVets.org was dropping into the 2nd Congressional District race to support Tulsi Gabbard and attack Mufi Hannemann, bringing its total spend in the contest to more than $300,000.

Today, Hannemann shot back at a press conference, flanked by veterans of the armed services who defended his honor. They included an Air Force vet from Maui, an Army reservist from Kailua and others who served in the Korean and Vietnam conflicts. Here’s a representative quote from Hal Barnes:

“Mufi Hannemann has done more in office to help Hawaii’s veterans than any other candidate in this race.”

Read Hannemann’s full release with quotes from other veterans here.

The allegation Hannemann was actually responding to focused on what VoteVets and Gabbard have said was a pay-to-play culture in Hannemann’s mayoral administration. They aren’t allowed to coordinate their attacks, but they’ve hit on similar notes.

Hannemann’s press release said an internal review of over 300 contracts and a State Procurement Office audit of 86 professional services contracts found total compliance and no violations of the law.

VoteVets defended its mailer.

“Hannemann took hundreds of thousands from donors, who then received government contracts for a multi billion dollar project he was involved with,” Chairman Jon Soltz said in an emailed statement. “[I]t is a very old and tired form of politics that voters are tired of.”

— Michael Levine