Seven Days in January? All Living Former Secretaries of Defense Warn Trump Over Election Fight
The ten surviving former U.S. secretaries of defense co-signed a Washington Post op-ed published Sunday that warns President Trump and his Defense Department appointees the election is over, the time for questioning the results has passed and they better not involve the military in the election fight. Those who signed include James Mattis and Mark Esper who both served as SecDef in the Trump administration.
Politico reports the statement was the idea of a never-Trump former Bush administration official who worked with former Vice President Cheney on the statement.
Washington Post excerpt:
…Our elections have occurred. Recounts and audits have been conducted. Appropriate challenges have been addressed by the courts. Governors have certified the results. And the electoral college has voted. The time for questioning the results has passed; the time for the formal counting of the electoral college votes, as prescribed in the Constitution and statute, has arrived.
As senior Defense Department leaders have noted, “there’s no role for the U.S. military in determining the outcome of a U.S. election.” Efforts to involve the U.S. armed forces in resolving election disputes would take us into dangerous, unlawful and unconstitutional territory. Civilian and military officials who direct or carry out such measures would be accountable, including potentially facing criminal penalties, for the grave consequences of their actions on our republic.
…Acting defense secretary Christopher C. Miller and his subordinates — political appointees, officers and civil servants — are each bound by oath, law and precedent to facilitate the entry into office of the incoming administration, and to do so wholeheartedly. They must also refrain from any political actions that undermine the results of the election or hinder the success of the new team…
The statement bears the names of: Ashton Carter (Obama), Dick Cheney (Bush 41), William Cohen (Clinton), Mark Esper (Trump), Robert Gates (Bush 43 and Obama), Chuck Hagel (Obama), James Mattis (Trump), Leon Panetta (Obama), William Perry (Clinton) and Donald Rumsfeld (Ford and Bush 43).
Politico excerpt:
…Trump’s rhetoric in the months since he lost the Nov. 3 election to Joe Biden has led to speculation that he might deploy the military in an attempt to hold on to power. Trump has repeatedly
Source: The Gateway Pundit
