Political Quotes

“there are several reasons why I disagree strongly with the chairman. First of all, this is not a complex reform. In fact, only one thing changes: After the military police conclude their investigation, instead of the case file being handed over to the commander's JAG, the case file is handed over to the prosecutor, who might eventually have gotten that case anyway. The prosecutor reviews the case file and decides whether or not to prosecute. If he decides not to prosecute, he will send it back to the commander. Only 3 percent of commanders have this job; 97 percent of commanders' jobs will not be affected by this change. And then they will get to do what they typically do, which is to review the case; perhaps, ask for nonjudicial punishment for related crimes; perhaps, do a special court-martial. That sits with the commander. The second reason why I disagree with the chairman is that if you remove only one crime from the commander, you will essentially create an entirely different system just for survivors of sexual assault, who are more often to be women who report those crimes. Even though males suffer more from sexual assault, they just don't report them, and that, therefore, will become a special court for women servicemembers. And experts have said that it will further marginalize them, it will further diminish them, it will further alienate them.…”