Army War College strips lame-duck U.S. senator of graduate status in plagiarism scandal

The Army War College has revoked the degree of Sen. John Walsh (D-Mont.), the Billings Gazette reports, in the wake of the thesis plagiarism scandal that ultimately forced the Iraq War veteran and appointed U.S. senator to drop out of his campaign for a full term.

"Though I disagree with the findings made by the War College, I accept its decision with great humility and respect for the U.S. Military," Walsh said in a statement. "I apologize to all Montanans for the plagiarism in my 2007 paper, and I am prepared to live with its consequences. I may not be a scholar but I am proud to have been a soldier who has served Montana and this great nation for 33 years in uniform."

Walsh previously attributed his acts of academic fraud to a struggle at the time with post-traumatic stress disorder, stemming from his service in Iraq.

Rep. Steve Daines is heavily favored to pick up this Senate seat for the Republicans over the replacement Democratic nominee, state Rep. Amanda Curtis.