Freedom’s Watch, the conservative issue advocacy group, began placing robocalls into the districts of several Democratic Members of Congress this afternoon, criticizing them for failing to finalize an Iraq War spending bill. “Hello, I’m Cpl. Mathew Hayden; I’m a veteran of Afghanistan,” the call begins. “Congress this week passed resolutions honoring a college basketball team, Arnold Palmer and Frank Sinatra … but went home for Memorial Day without funding our troops. So while Congress is on vacation, funding for the troops is in question. Worse, their paychecks are in jeopardy too. “As a veteran, I don’t want to see my buddies hurt because Congress put its vacation ahead of the needs of our soldiers. Call Congressman X, and tell him to honor the troops on Memorial Day by paying them.” Freedom’s Watch did not disclose the number of calls made, except that the number was “substantial.” The calls were expected to run through the Memorial Day recess. Targeted by the calls: Democratic Reps. Harry Mitchell (Ariz.), Gabrielle Giffords (Ariz.), Jerry McNerney (Calif.), Bob Filner (Calif.), Joe Courtney (Conn.), Jim Marshall (Ga.), Melissa Bean (Ill.), Don Cazayoux (La.), Steny Hoyer (Md.), Chris Van Hollen (Md.), Travis Childers (Miss.), Carol Shea-Porter (N.H.), Shelley Berkley (Nev.), Kirsten Gillibrand (N.Y.), Joe Sestak (Pa.), Patrick Murphy (Pa.), Christopher Carney (Pa.), John Murtha (Pa.) and Nick Lampson (Texas). — Josh Kurtz