Cheney had the idea of ​​a letter to defense secretaries, says his former chief

Cheney had the idea of ​​a letter to defense secretaries, says his former chief

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Former Vice President Dick Cheney had the idea that almost a dozen former Pentagon chiefs would write an opinion piece asking current Defense Department officials to stay out President TrumpDonald TrumpCotton breaks with conservative colleagues who will oppose Trump’s electoral vote count to give Nunes the Medal of Freedom: reports Hogan says lawmakers “scheme” to overturn election results “mocks our system” MOREThe attempt to overturn the results of the presidential elections, according to a signatory.

“The idea for this statement actually originated from Vice President Cheney,” said William J. Perry, who was former Secretary Clinton’s secretary of defense.

“Each of us has taken an oath to support and defend the Constitution; that oath does not change according to the party’s designation,” he added.

In the article published on Sunday, 10 former defense secretaries warned that Trump’s efforts to contest the election take the country “into dangerous, illegal and unconstitutional territory”.

“Civilian and military officials who direct or carry out such measures would be responsible, including potentially facing criminal penalties, for the serious consequences of their actions in our republic,” wrote the former officials. “We call on them, in the strongest terms, to do as so many generations of Americans did it before them. This final action is in line with the highest traditions and professionalism of the armed forces of the United States and with the history of democratic transition in our great country. “

Two of President Trump’s former Defense Secretaries, Mark EsperFormer Defense Secretaries Mark Esper10 ask the Pentagon to stay out of the 2020 election fight: a year in pictures The Army plans to reveal more inclusive rules for hair and appearance next month: report MORE and James MattisJames Norman Mattis10 former Defense Secretaries urge the Pentagon to stay out of the Biden election fight to nominate the Senate’s first Deputy Defense Secretary about to overturn Trump’s defense bill veto MORE, signed the opinion article.

Trump refused to concede his defeat to the president-elect Joe BidenJoe BidenCotton breaks with conservative colleagues who will oppose Trump’s electoral vote count to give Nunes the Freedom Medal, and several Republican lawmakers in both chambers of Congress this week are expected to challenge the results of the Electoral College.

The courts found no evidence of widespread fraud in the election and ruled against several contests of the Trump campaign.

Trump has been criticized in the past for politicizing the Department of Defense, especially when officers accompanied him to a photo shoot at a church near the White House after Lafayette Square was forced to clean up the protesters by the police.

Biden’s transition team also complained about the Pentagon’s lack of cooperation, from which Esper was removed shortly after the election.

Last week, a Biden consultant told NPR that the Pentagon had not met with transitional officials since December 18.

“It’s kind of back to the lack of visibility that we now have on a number of critical issues related to military operations because of DoD roadblocks and roadblocks,” new national security adviser Jake SullivanJake SullivanFive main challenges for Biden in defense The West can use the economy to teach China a lesson on human rights Saudi Arabia is the key to Joe Biden MORE said.

Cheney, a Republican, criticized Trump during his time at the White House, mostly on foreign policy issues.

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