The Patriot Files Forums  

Go Back   The Patriot Files Forums > General > Homeland Security

Post New Thread  Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old 06-03-2020, 05:55 AM
Boats's Avatar
Boats Boats is offline
Senior Member
 

Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Sauk Village, IL
Posts: 21,784
Arrow Pentagon Adviser Resigns, Says Esper Violated His Oath Of Office

Pentagon Adviser Resigns, Says Esper Violated His Oath Of Office
By: Katherine Biek - Newsy News - 06-03-20
Re: https://www.newsy.com/stories/pentag...ath-of-office/

James Miller pointed to Defense Secretary Mark Esper's apparent support of the use of smoke and pepper balls to clear streets near the White House.

An adviser for the Pentagon resigned from the department's Defense Science Board Tuesday.

In his resignation letter, which was shared with The Washington Post, James Miller accused Defense Secretary Mark Esper of violating his oath of office by appearing to support the use of smoke and pepper balls to clear protesters from the streets near the White House Monday night.

That happened just before President Donald Trump made his way to St. John's Episcopal Church. He was accompanied on that walk by Esper and other senior administration officials.

Miller told Esper in his letter, "You may not have been able to stop President Trump from directing this appalling use of force, but you could have chosen to oppose it. Instead, you visibly supported it."

Miller continued, "You must have thought long and hard about where that line should be drawn. I must now ask: If [Monday] night’s blatant violations do not cross the line for you, what will?"

Esper told NBC News that he thought Monday's trip out of the White House was to "see some damage and talk to the troops." The Pentagon said he hadn't been aware he was being led to the church to take photos.

Miller joined the Pentagon's Defense Science Board in 2014. Before that he'd served as under secretary of defense for policy.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A letter to Defense Secretary Mark Esper
By: James N. Miller - 06-02-20
Re: https://www.washingtonpost.com/opini...g/?arc404=true

June 2, 2020

To: Hon. Mark T. Esper
Secretary of Defense - The Pentagon
Washington, D.C., 20301

Dear Secretary Esper;

I resign from the Defense Science Board, effective immediately.

When I joined the Board in early 2014, after leaving government service as Under Secretary of Defense for Policy, I again swore an oath of office, one familiar to you, that includes the commitment to “support and defend the Constitution of the United States . . . and to bear true faith and allegiance to the same.”

You recited that same oath on July 23, 2019, when you were sworn in as Secretary of Defense. On Monday, June 1, 2020, I believe that you violated that oath. Law-abiding protesters just outside the White House were dispersed using tear gas and rubber bullets — not for the sake of safety, but to clear a path for a presidential photo op. You then accompanied President Trump in walking from the White House to St. John’s Episcopal Church for that photo.

President Trump’s actions Monday night violated his oath to “take care that the laws be faithfully executed,” as well as the First Amendment “right of the people peaceably to assemble.” You may not have been able to stop President Trump from directing this appalling use of force, but you could have chosen to oppose it. Instead, you visibly supported it.

Anyone who takes the oath of office must decide where he or she will draw the line: What are the things that they will refuse to do? Secretary Esper, you have served honorably for many years, in active and reserve military duty, as Secretary of the Army, and now as Secretary of Defense. You must have thought long and hard about where that line should be drawn. I must now ask: If last night’s blatant violations do not cross the line for you, what will?

Unfortunately, it appears there may be few if any lines that President Trump is not willing to cross, so you will probably be faced with this terrible question again in the coming days. You may be asked to take, or to direct the men and women serving in the U.S. military to take, actions that further undermine the Constitution and harm Americans.

As a concerned citizen, and as a former senior defense official who cares deeply about the military, I urge you to consider closely both your future actions and your future words. For example, some could interpret literally your suggestion to the nation’s governors Monday that they need to “dominate the battlespace.” I cannot believe that you see the United States as a “battlespace,” or that you believe our citizens must be “dominated.” Such language sends an extremely dangerous signal.

You have made life-and-death decisions in combat overseas; soon you may be asked to make life-and-death decisions about using the military on American streets and against Americans. Where will you draw the line, and when will you draw it?

I hope this letter of resignation will encourage you to again contemplate the obligations you undertook in your oath of office, as well as your obligations to the men and women in our military and other Americans whose lives may be at stake. In the event that at least some other senior officials may be inclined to ask these questions after reading this letter, I am making it public.

I wish you the best, in very difficult times. The sanctity of the U.S. Constitution, and the lives of Americans, may depend on your choices.

Sincerely,


James N. Miller

James N. Miller served as under secretary of defense for policy from 2012 to 2014. He provided The Post with a copy of his resignation letter, which he submitted to Defense Secretary Mark T. Esper on Tuesday evening.
__________________
Boats

O Almighty Lord God, who neither slumberest nor sleepest; Protect and assist, we beseech thee, all those who at home or abroad, by land, by sea, or in the air, are serving this country, that they, being armed with thy defence, may be preserved evermore in all perils; and being filled with wisdom and girded with strength, may do their duty to thy honour and glory; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

"IN GOD WE TRUST"
sendpm.gif Reply With Quote
Sponsored Links
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is On

All times are GMT -7. The time now is 10:18 AM.


Powered by vBulletin, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.