McCaskill Demands Action in Dismissed Sexual Assault Conviction

U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill today used a Senate hearing to call into question the authority of commanders to dismiss charges against convicted offenders, and specifically targeted the actions of an Air Force general who overturned the trial of an officer convicted of sexual assault—allowing the officer to be released and put in line for promotion, with a clean record, only months after entering jail. In a subsequent letter to the two highest officials in the Air Force, McCaskill called for the actions of the General to be reviewed and for disciplinary measures to be considered.

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[CornyCobb]

Love her. We need more senators like her.

[MstSurvivor]

Thank you Ma'am for standing up for Survivors like myself! Pass the STOP Act!! This is NECESSARY!

[kat eiswald]

the rape is protected because it serves the purpose of the system. What if, women were allowed in the military in greater numbers now, to provide rape victims to a military that previously had the spoils of war- which included the native population as we remember from IndoChina...not so in the Arab world. Women are fodder for men

[Eagle Kepr]

The regulation in question here is the UCMJ... authorized by the Constitution and written by Congress. Questioning General Mattis about it isn't going to change anything. She needs to direct her questions to the General who made the decision and if she wants it changed, talk to her colleagues to the left and right of where she's sitting for a rewrite.

[605air]

The guilty party was an F16 pilot and the commander that dismissed the conviction by the jury of his peers was also an F16 pilot. One "good ole boy looking out for another" Gen Mattis is just quoting the UCMJ. Shame on them but this is the culture and it needs to change make this the case to change it. Thank you Sen. Claire McCaskill!

[HellbilleH]

Why would you want to send a known criminal on an important mission where you must trust them to take appropriate action. Obviously this person has no sense of right or wrong and I certainly wouldn't trust them with a mission -- particularly an officer who is entrusted with leading others.

[HellbilleH]

This is a serious matter and as he reports directly to the JCS and the President I think it's entirely appropriate to question him about a regulation that allows criminals to get off scot-free and continue to serve as *leaders* in the military. It's absolutely disgusting that this happens. No one other than a judge, panel of judges or a jury should have that right.

[HellbilleH]

That general is full of shit. Our defense-readiness is not dependent on one person and certainly not dependent on a fucking criminal. This is an obscenity. That regulation needs to be changed immediately.

[Donna Barner]

You call that grand standing? She was anything but.

[Donna Barner]

That is who is suppose to address the concerns. She was not holding him responsible, she was expressing concerns.

[MrAragon131]

She wasnt' holding him responsible she was asking him to explain how a general could do this and more importantly WHY would he do it and what implictions it could have for other soliders.

[MrAragon131]

Excellent point! One thing military makes a point to do is make absolutely certain when woman reports rape other woman are not permitted to investigte only men. Women are told they will be 'too emotional' and 'not objective'.