Dear friend,

Of all the authoritarian things Donald Trump has done so far, undermining
justice in the armed services ranks as one of the worst.

Yesterday the Navy Secretary Richard Spencer was fired by Trump's
Secretary of State. Trump had just reversed the demotion of three
servicemembers accused of war crimes, including a Navy SEAL who had been
accused of killing a prisoner of war and convicted of another crime.^1

The Navy wanted to press ahead with disciplinary action against that SEAL.
They understood the importance of maintaining order and ensuring that our
armed forces follow the law. Instead, Trump wanted to let him off the
hook.^2

This is a horrific development that reminds us of the worst abuses of
dictators and authoritarians across history. And we need to stop it.

[ [link removed] ]Tell Congress: Don't let Trump get away with firing the Navy Secretary
and enabling war crimes. Include his authoritarian abuse of power in the
impeachment investigation - NOW.

Right now the impeachment investigation and hearings have focused on Trump
wanting to undermine the 2020 election by blackmailing Ukraine's
government. Those actions alone warrant Trump's impeachment.

But this is even worse. Trump is sending a signal that he will enable and
even encourage soldiers and other government officials to break the law
and violate the rules.

We've seen throughout history where this can lead, and it's chilling.

This has wider implications beyond the military. As reports pile up about
abuses in immigrant detention centers,^3 Trump has already said he'd
pardon immigration officials if they were ever sent to jail for the
suffering and pain his policies have inflicted at the border.^4

The rule of law is critical in helping contain authoritarianism and
protecting human rights and human lives around the world. Trump is
directly attacking the rule of law, especially in the military -- where
order and the rule of law are especially important.

We need to use the rule of law to stop Trump. That means impeachment, and
Congress needs to make sure they are including his authoritarian abuses of
military power as part of their impeachment work. The eyes of the nation
are on these hearings, but right now Congress is narrowly focusing on
Ukraine and not including Trump's other crimes. Will you send a message?

[ [link removed] ]Sign the petition: Tell Congress to stop Trump's authoritarianism by
including it in the impeachment investigation.

Thank you for stepping up in this crucial moment.

Robert and the team at Demand Progress

 

[ [link removed] ]DONATE

Sources:
1. CBS News, "Navy secretary fired over SEAL controversy says he was
ordered to violate "sacred oath"," [ [link removed] ]November 26, 2019.
2. Ibid.
3. Guardian, "He was undocumented. Now he's exposing detention center
abuse," [ [link removed] ]October 29, 2019.
4. CNN, "Trump told CBP head he'd pardon him if he were sent to jail for
violating immigration law," [ [link removed] ]April 12, 2019.
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