truthout--2020-09-10--USPS Board Praises DeJoy Amid Mail Slowdowns and Straw-Donor Scandal

Brushing aside widespread alarm over mail slowdowns , prescription medicine delays , potential election sabotage , and Postmaster General Louis DeJoy ’ s reported role in an illegal straw-donor scheme , members of the Republican-dominated U.S .
Postal Service Board of Governors on Wednesday said they are “ thrilled ” by DeJoy ’ s performance thus far as the head of America ’ s most popular government institution .
After meeting with DeJoy behind closed doors to discuss several ongoing congressional investigations into his actions as USPS chief and previous work as a GOP fundraising powerhouse , two Republican board @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said there are no plans to discipline him over his destructive policy changes or possible criminal actions .
“ The board is tickled pink , every single board member , with the impact he ’ s having , ” board member John Barger — who , like DeJoy , is a Republican donor — told the Washington Post in an interview following the private meeting .
“ He ’ s an excellent leader .
He ’ s an excellent supply-chain logistics savant .
And I ’ m very , very pleased with his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Zollars , another GOP member of the board , said DeJoy has the full support of the panel , which currently consists of four Republicans and two Democrats — all appointed by President Donald Trump .
Zollars told the Post that DeJoy insisted during the closed-door meeting that “ he feels like he has done nothing wrong.
” “ From a logistics and operations standpoint , Louis DeJoy is as good as it gets , ” said Zollars .
“ He has support on both sides of the aisle.
” The board members @ @ @ @ @ @ @ watchdogs who have been urging the body to exercise its authority to remove — or , at the very least , suspend — DeJoy over policy changes that have significantly disrupted Postal Service operations just weeks ahead of an election that could be decided by mail-in ballots .
Rep. Gerry Connolly ( D-Va. ) , chairman of the House Subcommittee on Government Operations , tweeted late Wednesday that “ when given the opportunity to restore confidence in the USPS , the Board of Governors today chose instead to continue their dereliction of duty.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ term as postmaster general has been defined by conflict , sabotage , incompetence and politicization , ” said Connolly .
“ Anything short of his immediate removal is a total failure in oversight and accountability.
” The USPS Board of Governors unanimously appointed DeJoy — a former logistics executive with zero prior Postal Service experience — in May following a search process that Democratic lawmakers have deemed “ highly irregular.
” David Williams , a former board member who resigned in protest in April , told the Congressional Progressive Caucus last month that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ DeJoy as a postmaster general candidate “ late in the process.
” Williams also alleged that Barger assisted DeJoy in job interviews with the board , helping him “ finish a number of sentences where he got stuck.
” Members of the board have come under closer scrutiny in recent weeks as they ’ ve remained largely silent about DeJoy ’ s policy changes , which have altered longstanding USPS practices and required postal workers to leave mail behind , significantly delaying package deliveries across the country .
As Common Dreams reported earlier @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Duncan , the chairman of the USPS Board of Governors , is serving on two major Republican super PACs , one of which is closely aligned with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell ( R-Ky. ) .
Duncan , the former chairman of the Republican National Committee , also briefly appeared in a GOP convention video clip in which he backs Trump ’ s reelection bid .
According to the New York Times , Republican members of the USPS Board of Governors have “ helped raise more than $ 3 million ” to support @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for his party over the past decade.
” “ It ’ s appalling , ” Rep. Peter Welch ( D-Vt. ) said of the board members ’ ties to Trump and the GOP .
“ The Postal Service is respected and revered because it has a single job : delivering the mail , not serving the partisan interest of whoever happens to be president at the moment .
”

The board members’ comments drew outrage from lawmakers and watchdogs in light of the disruption during DeJoy’s tenure.
Brushing aside widespread alarm over mail slowdowns, prescription medicine delays, potential election sabotage, and Postmaster General Louis DeJoy’s reported role in an illegal straw-donor scheme, members of the Republican-dominated U.S. Postal Service Board of Governors on Wednesday said they are “thrilled” by DeJoy’s performance thus far as the head of America’s most popular government institution.
After meeting with DeJoy behind closed doors to discuss several ongoing congressional investigations into his actions as USPS chief and previous work as a GOP fundraising powerhouse, two Republican board members gushingly praised the postmaster general and said there are no plans to discipline him over his destructive policy changes or possible criminal actions.
“The board is tickled pink, every single board member, with the impact he’s having,” board member John Barger — who, like DeJoy, is a Republican donor — told the Washington Post in an interview following the private meeting. “He’s an excellent leader. He’s an excellent supply-chain logistics savant. And I’m very, very pleased with his performance since coming on board.”
William Zollars, another GOP member of the board, said DeJoy has the full support of the panel, which currently consists of four Republicans and two Democrats — all appointed by President Donald Trump. Zollars told the Post that DeJoy insisted during the closed-door meeting that “he feels like he has done nothing wrong.”
“From a logistics and operations standpoint, Louis DeJoy is as good as it gets,” said Zollars. “He has support on both sides of the aisle.”
The board members’ comments drew outrage from lawmakers and watchdogs who have been urging the body to exercise its authority to remove — or, at the very least, suspend — DeJoy over policy changes that have significantly disrupted Postal Service operations just weeks ahead of an election that could be decided by mail-in ballots.
Appalling! The Postal Board of Governors met secretly today and issued a statement saying they’re fine with DeJoy slowing the mail before an election and they’re not worried about any campaign finance violations because DeJoy has decided he’s innocent.https://t.co/GVMJZ7cwJB — Walter Shaub (@waltshaub) September 9, 2020
Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-Va.), chairman of the House Subcommittee on Government Operations, tweeted late Wednesday that “when given the opportunity to restore confidence in the USPS, the Board of Governors today chose instead to continue their dereliction of duty.”
“Mr. DeJoy’s term as postmaster general has been defined by conflict, sabotage, incompetence and politicization,” said Connolly. “Anything short of his immediate removal is a total failure in oversight and accountability.”
The USPS Board of Governors unanimously appointed DeJoy — a former logistics executive with zero prior Postal Service experience — in May following a search process that Democratic lawmakers have deemed “highly irregular.”
David Williams, a former board member who resigned in protest in April, told the Congressional Progressive Caucus last month that he believes it was Barger who suggested DeJoy as a postmaster general candidate “late in the process.” Williams also alleged that Barger assisted DeJoy in job interviews with the board, helping him “finish a number of sentences where he got stuck.”
Members of the board have come under closer scrutiny in recent weeks as they’ve remained largely silent about DeJoy’s policy changes, which have altered longstanding USPS practices and required postal workers to leave mail behind, significantly delaying package deliveries across the country.
As Common Dreams reported earlier this month, documents show that Robert Duncan, the chairman of the USPS Board of Governors, is serving on two major Republican super PACs, one of which is closely aligned with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.). Duncan, the former chairman of the Republican National Committee, also briefly appeared in a GOP convention video clip in which he backs Trump’s reelection bid.
According to the New York Times, Republican members of the USPS Board of Governors have “helped raise more than $3 million” to support Trump and “hundreds of millions more for his party over the past decade.”
“It’s appalling,” Rep. Peter Welch (D-Vt.) said of the board members’ ties to Trump and the GOP. “The Postal Service is respected and revered because it has a single job: delivering the mail, not serving the partisan interest of whoever happens to be president at the moment.”
Tired of reading the same old news from the same old sources? So are we! That’s why we’re on a mission to shake things up and bring you the stories and perspectives that often go untold in mainstream media. But being a radically, unapologetically independent news site isn’t easy (or cheap), and we rely on reader support to keep the lights on.
If you like what you’re reading, please consider making a tax-deductible donation today. We’re not asking for a handout, we’re asking for an investment: Invest in a nonprofit news site that’s not afraid to ruffle a few feathers, not afraid to stand up for what’s right, and not afraid to tell it like it is.
This piece was reprinted by Truthout with permission or license. It may not be reproduced in any form without permission or license from the source.


truthout--2020-09-10--Six Deadly Months Late, Bob Woodward Warns Us Trump Is Lying About COVID

“ So last year 37,000 Americans died from the common Flu , ” Trump tweeted on March 9 regarding the burgeoning COVID-19 pandemic .
“ It averages between 27,000 and 70,000 per year .
Nothing is shut down , life and the economy go on .
At this moment there are 546 confirmed cases of Coronavirus , with 22 deaths .
Think about that !
” One month earlier on February 7 , Trump told famed journalist Bob Woodward , “ You just breathe the air and that ’ s how it ’ s passed .
And so that ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s a very delicate one .
It ’ s also more deadly than even your strenuous flus .
This is deadly stuff.
” The administration did not declare the pandemic a national emergency until March 13 .
Ten days after sending that dismissive March 9 tweet , Trump remained unwilling to publicly acknowledge that the virus could be transmitted through the air , and continued to downplay the need for a public mask mandate .
“ I wanted to always play it down , ” he told Woodward that day .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ because I don ’ t want to create a panic.
” Nearly 6.4 million people in the U.S. have been infected with COVID , and more than 190,000 have died .
A key forecasting model created by the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation ( IHME ) at the University of Washington now predicts 400,000 deaths by January 1 .
Because Trump has repeatedly sabotaged the data collection process throughout the pandemic , those numbers are almost certainly lower than the actual totals .
“ Maybe you can make the argument that he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ earlier as a result of that , ” former Bush strategist Karl Rove argued during a Wednesday Fox News appearance , “ particularly if he knew that it was aerosol borne .
But again , we expect perfection from people in places where perfection is not possible .
And in dealing with pandemics is a place in particular where the unknowns are large and difficult to deal with.
” “ Perfection.
” Of all the words I could summon to describe Trump ’ s presidential performance over the six months and one day @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ perfection ” would not be among them .
Not long after he sent that tweet , I had a go-round with a plumber who loudly refused to wear a mask because “ This is just the flu !
” He may as well have been reading a White House cue card right there in my damn kitchen .
Reaction from the scientific community to Trump ’ s comments , which appear in Woodward ’ s new book Rage , was swift and horrified .
“ If accurate , this reporting suggests that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was deliberate , ” Harvard epidemiology professor Marc Lipstitch told The Boston Globe .
“ We have lost 150,000 Americans and counting , and it increasingly looks as if others will have long-term health consequences of this infection .
As a scientist , those are the facts .
As a citizen , it is hard to know which is worse — that this was done out of ignorance , when there was so much clear information , or that , as this reporting suggests , it was done deliberately.
” Minnesota Rep. Ilhan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in June , likewise responded to the Woodward revelations .
“ All I can think about is my father and the nearly 200,000 other people who lost their lives to COVID-19 as a result of this president ’ s gross negligence and lies , ” she tweeted yesterday .
“ Trump had the power to save lives and went out of his way not to.
” If history is any guide , there will almost certainly be no immediate consequences for Trump due to the revelations in Woodward ’ s book , because @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We have reached the point in U.S. politics where the Lord God of Hosts could descend from heaven on a pillar of fire , denounce Trump from atop Mt .
Everest in a voice audible throughout the universe , and Trump ’ s fiercest defenders would wave it off as “ fake news ” even as Mitch McConnell gavels God out of order .
The House may do investigations and the media ’ s editorial rooms will shake their collective fists , but consequences are not on Trump ’ s menu until November @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a hard-earned understanding after all these long years , another throatful of bile to be swallowed .
Bob Woodward , however , is another matter .
As the criticism of his decision to withhold vital COVID data from the public for months erupted , the author told the Associated Press “ that he needed time to be sure that Trump ’ s private comments from February were accurate.
” Six months of Trump ’ s vividly public evasions and 200,000 COVID dead strike me as more than enough primary source material to sound @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trending explosively on Twitter yesterday after details from the book hit the wires .
“ For reasons of their own — venal , selfish , inexcusable reasons , all of them — both Donald Trump and Bob Woodward shirked the duties of their respective occupations and , eventually , hundreds of thousands of Americans may be dead in part because they did , ” thundered Esquire blogger Charles P. Pierce .
“ The shame of this should be everlasting.
” It has been a season of this .
Former Trump national security adviser @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have been deeply useful during Trump ’ s impeachment , choosing to keep it to himself in service of his book sales .
Bob Woodward has done something similar .
Donald Trump and his people treat their time in Washington D.C. as nothing more than an opportunity to loot the Treasury and enrich their friends .
Their relationship to the people is entirely transactional , and is noxiously dismissive of the higher ideals of service or public responsibility .
Journalists , particularly of Woodward ’ s lofty stature , are beholden to a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ well .
“ Comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable , ” goes the motto for the calling .
By trading people ’ s lives for a larger payday , by waiting months to divulge vital information that could have forced a COVID course correction out of this administration , the man who helped take down Richard Nixon a half-century ago chose in this instance to afflict the afflicted and comfort the comfortable .
In the adage of the current age , “ It didn ’ t have to be like this.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a phenomenon that is broader than Woodward .
It must serve as a reminder to all of us in journalism that our work should be a public service , and that our duty to the public should take priority over our personal gain .
Nonfiction book authors , in particular , should take note , since the publication timelines for books tend to be long .
Although we aren ’ t doctors , we journalists would do well to abide by the Hippocratic oath : Do no harm .

“So last year 37,000 Americans died from the common Flu,” Trump tweeted on March 9 regarding the burgeoning COVID-19 pandemic. “It averages between 27,000 and 70,000 per year. Nothing is shut down, life and the economy go on. At this moment there are 546 confirmed cases of Coronavirus, with 22 deaths. Think about that!”
One month earlier on February 7, Trump told famed journalist Bob Woodward, “You just breathe the air and that’s how it’s passed. And so that’s a very tricky one. That’s a very delicate one. It’s also more deadly than even your strenuous flus. This is deadly stuff.” The administration did not declare the pandemic a national emergency until March 13.
Ten days after sending that dismissive March 9 tweet, Trump remained unwilling to publicly acknowledge that the virus could be transmitted through the air, and continued to downplay the need for a public mask mandate. “I wanted to always play it down,” he told Woodward that day. “I still like playing it down, because I don’t want to create a panic.”
Nearly 6.4 million people in the U.S. have been infected with COVID, and more than 190,000 have died. A key forecasting model created by the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) at the University of Washington now predicts 400,000 deaths by January 1. Because Trump has repeatedly sabotaged the data collection process throughout the pandemic, those numbers are almost certainly lower than the actual totals.
“Maybe you can make the argument that he should have said masks and social distancing earlier as a result of that,” former Bush strategist Karl Rove argued during a Wednesday Fox News appearance, “particularly if he knew that it was aerosol borne. But again, we expect perfection from people in places where perfection is not possible. And in dealing with pandemics is a place in particular where the unknowns are large and difficult to deal with.”
“Perfection.” Of all the words I could summon to describe Trump’s presidential performance over the six months and one day since he wrote that March tweet, “perfection” would not be among them. Not long after he sent that tweet, I had a go-round with a plumber who loudly refused to wear a mask because “This is just the flu!” He may as well have been reading a White House cue card right there in my damn kitchen.
Reaction from the scientific community to Trump’s comments, which appear in Woodward’s new book Rage, was swift and horrified. “If accurate, this reporting suggests that the decision to avoid a serious response was deliberate,” Harvard epidemiology professor Marc Lipstitch told The Boston Globe. “We have lost 150,000 Americans and counting, and it increasingly looks as if others will have long-term health consequences of this infection. As a scientist, those are the facts. As a citizen, it is hard to know which is worse — that this was done out of ignorance, when there was so much clear information, or that, as this reporting suggests, it was done deliberately.”
Bob Woodward helped afflict the afflicted and comfort the comfortable. In this, he is exactly like the president.
Minnesota Rep. Ilhan Omar, whose father succumbed to COVID in June, likewise responded to the Woodward revelations. “All I can think about is my father and the nearly 200,000 other people who lost their lives to COVID-19 as a result of this president’s gross negligence and lies,” she tweeted yesterday. “Trump had the power to save lives and went out of his way not to.”
If history is any guide, there will almost certainly be no immediate consequences for Trump due to the revelations in Woodward’s book, because of course there won’t.
We have reached the point in U.S. politics where the Lord God of Hosts could descend from heaven on a pillar of fire, denounce Trump from atop Mt. Everest in a voice audible throughout the universe, and Trump’s fiercest defenders would wave it off as “fake news” even as Mitch McConnell gavels God out of order.
The House may do investigations and the media’s editorial rooms will shake their collective fists, but consequences are not on Trump’s menu until November. This is a filthy truth, a hard-earned understanding after all these long years, another throatful of bile to be swallowed.
Bob Woodward, however, is another matter. As the criticism of his decision to withhold vital COVID data from the public for months erupted, the author told the Associated Press “that he needed time to be sure that Trump’s private comments from February were accurate.” Six months of Trump’s vividly public evasions and 200,000 COVID dead strike me as more than enough primary source material to sound an appropriate alarm.
#WoodwardKnew was trending explosively on Twitter yesterday after details from the book hit the wires. “For reasons of their own — venal, selfish, inexcusable reasons, all of them — both Donald Trump and Bob Woodward shirked the duties of their respective occupations and, eventually, hundreds of thousands of Americans may be dead in part because they did,” thundered Esquire blogger Charles P. Pierce. “The shame of this should be everlasting.”
It has been a season of this. Former Trump national security adviser John Bolton sat on information that would have been deeply useful during Trump’s impeachment, choosing to keep it to himself in service of his book sales. Bob Woodward has done something similar.
Donald Trump and his people treat their time in Washington D.C. as nothing more than an opportunity to loot the Treasury and enrich their friends. Their relationship to the people is entirely transactional, and is noxiously dismissive of the higher ideals of service or public responsibility.
Journalists, particularly of Woodward’s lofty stature, are beholden to a set of higher ideals and responsibilities as well. “Comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable,” goes the motto for the calling. By trading people’s lives for a larger payday, by waiting months to divulge vital information that could have forced a COVID course correction out of this administration, the man who helped take down Richard Nixon a half-century ago chose in this instance to afflict the afflicted and comfort the comfortable.
In the adage of the current age, “It didn’t have to be like this.”
This issue should call to our attention a phenomenon that is broader than Woodward. It must serve as a reminder to all of us in journalism that our work should be a public service, and that our duty to the public should take priority over our personal gain. Nonfiction book authors, in particular, should take note, since the publication timelines for books tend to be long.
Although we aren’t doctors, we journalists would do well to abide by the Hippocratic oath: Do no harm.
Tired of reading the same old news from the same old sources? So are we! That’s why we’re on a mission to shake things up and bring you the stories and perspectives that often go untold in mainstream media. But being a radically, unapologetically independent news site isn’t easy (or cheap), and we rely on reader support to keep the lights on.
If you like what you’re reading, please consider making a tax-deductible donation today. We’re not asking for a handout, we’re asking for an investment: Invest in a nonprofit news site that’s not afraid to ruffle a few feathers, not afraid to stand up for what’s right, and not afraid to tell it like it is.
Copyright © Truthout. May not be reprinted without permission.


truthout--2020-09-10--Prison Reforms Can Actually Increase Size and Scope of Incarceration

Brian Sonenstein and Kim Wilson welcome back Maya Schenwar and Victoria Law to discuss their new book , Prison by Any Other Name : The Harmful Consequences of Popular Reforms , on the Beyond Prisons podcast .
The book provides a comprehensive and thought-provoking critical analysis of popular reforms to policing and incarceration , such as electronic monitoring , diversion courts , so-called sex worker rescue programs , and a lot more .
Importantly , it explores not only how these reforms fail to promote safety , but how they actually increase the size and scope of policing and incarceration @ @ @ @ @ @ @ electronic monitoring denies people the ability to do the basic things they need to do to live , and shifts the costs of incarceration away from the government and onto the individual and their family , harming those important relationships in a multitude of ways .
We talk about the release of this book at a time of heightened skepticism around reform projects and a growing popular awareness of abolition .
We also discuss why community policing is anti-community , and why it ’ s important to remember that we don ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which people are policed and imprisoned ; in some cases , it would be better to do nothing instead .
This episode is dedicated to Maya ’ s sister , Keeley Schenwar , who passed away in February .
Maya Schenwar is the editor-in-chief of Truthout .
She is co-author of Prison by Any Other Name : The Harmful Consequences of Popular Reforms , as well as the author of Locked Down , Locked Out , and the co-editor of Who Do You Serve , Who Do You Protect ?
She lives in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ You can find Maya ’ s work at Truthout.org as well as , MayaSchenwar.com .
Follow her on Twitter @ mayaschenwar and Facebook .
Victoria Law is a freelance journalist who focuses on the intersections of incarceration , gender , and resistance .
She is the author of Resistance Behind Bars : The Struggles of Incarcerated Women and regularly covers prison issues for Truthout and other outlets .
Her latest book , Prison by Any Other Name , co-written with Maya Schenwar , critically examines proposed “ alternatives ” to incarceration and explores @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mass incarceration .
You can find more of Victoria ’ s work on her website , VictoriaLaw.net Created and hosted by Kim Wilson and Brian Sonenstein Support our show and join us on Patreon .
Check out our other donation options as well .
Please listen , subscribe , and rate/review our podcast on Apple Podcast , Spotify , and Google Play .
Join our mailing list for updates on new episodes , events , and more .
Kim Wilson is available for speaking engagements and to facilitate workshops .
Please contact [ @ @ @ @ @ @ @

Demonstrators and family protest the death of Jemal Floyd at the hands of prison guards in front of the Brooklyn Detention Center in the Brooklyn Borough of New York City on June 26, 2020. John Lamparski / NurPhoto via Getty Images
Brian Sonenstein and Kim Wilson welcome back Maya Schenwar and Victoria Law to discuss their new book, Prison by Any Other Name: The Harmful Consequences of Popular Reforms, on the Beyond Prisons podcast.
The book provides a comprehensive and thought-provoking critical analysis of popular reforms to policing and incarceration, such as electronic monitoring, diversion courts, so-called sex worker rescue programs, and a lot more. Importantly, it explores not only how these reforms fail to promote safety, but how they actually increase the size and scope of policing and incarceration.
Our wide-ranging conversation touches on how electronic monitoring denies people the ability to do the basic things they need to do to live, and shifts the costs of incarceration away from the government and onto the individual and their family, harming those important relationships in a multitude of ways.
We talk about the release of this book at a time of heightened skepticism around reform projects and a growing popular awareness of abolition.
We also discuss why community policing is anti-community, and why it’s important to remember that we don’t need a replacement response for everything for which people are policed and imprisoned; in some cases, it would be better to do nothing instead.
This episode is dedicated to Maya’s sister, Keeley Schenwar, who passed away in February.
Maya Schenwar is the editor-in-chief of Truthout. She is co-author of Prison by Any Other Name: The Harmful Consequences of Popular Reforms, as well as the author of Locked Down, Locked Out, and the co-editor of Who Do You Serve, Who Do You Protect? She lives in Chicago with her partner and toddler.
You can find Maya’s work at Truthout.org as well as, MayaSchenwar.com.
Follow her on Twitter @mayaschenwar and Facebook.
Victoria Law is a freelance journalist who focuses on the intersections of incarceration, gender, and resistance. She is the author of Resistance Behind Bars: The Struggles of Incarcerated Women and regularly covers prison issues for Truthout and other outlets. Her latest book, Prison by Any Other Name, co-written with Maya Schenwar, critically examines proposed “alternatives” to incarceration and explores creative and far-reaching solutions to truly end mass incarceration.
You can find more of Victoria’s work on her website, VictoriaLaw.net
Follow her on Twitter @LVikkiml
Episode Resources & Notes
Keeley Schenwar’s Poem
Support Truthout’s independent journalism by making a donation at truthout.org/donate
Credits
Created and hosted by Kim Wilson and Brian Sonenstein
Edited by Ellis Maxwell
Website & volunteers managed by Victoria Nam
Theme music by Jared Ware
Support Beyond Prisons
Visit our website at beyond-prisons.com
Support our show and join us on Patreon. Check out our other donation options as well.
Please listen, subscribe, and rate/review our podcast on Apple Podcast, Spotify, and Google Play.
Join our mailing list for updates on new episodes, events, and more.
Send tips, comments, and questions to [email protected].
Kim Wilson is available for speaking engagements and to facilitate workshops. Please contact [email protected] for more information.
Twitter: @Beyond_Prison
Facebook: @beyondprisonspodcast
Instagram: @beyondprisons
Tired of reading the same old news from the same old sources? So are we! That’s why we’re on a mission to shake things up and bring you the stories and perspectives that often go untold in mainstream media. But being a radically, unapologetically independent news site isn’t easy (or cheap), and we rely on reader support to keep the lights on.
If you like what you’re reading, please consider making a tax-deductible donation today. We’re not asking for a handout, we’re asking for an investment: Invest in a nonprofit news site that’s not afraid to ruffle a few feathers, not afraid to stand up for what’s right, and not afraid to tell it like it is.
This piece was reprinted by Truthout with permission or license. It may not be reproduced in any form without permission or license from the source.


truthout--2020-09-10--Vanessa Guillén Family Wants Fort Hood Shut Down Over Its Rape Culture Cover-Up

The family of U.S. Army Spc .
Vanessa Guillén , a Houston native whose murder has sparked a national outcry over the military ’ s handling of sexual harassment and assault , say last week ’ s leadership shakeup at Fort Hood , in which the base ’ s top general was demoted , isn ’ t good enough .
The family and their lawyer are set to release the final draft of a forthcoming bill in Guillén ’ s name as soon as today .
The family marched to the Texas Capitol building Monday to demand an independent congressional @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in support of the # IamVanessaGuillén bill that would allow active-duty service members to file claims of sexual harassment or assault to a third-party agency instead of through their military chain of command .
Family members told Truthout they anticipate the bill ’ s final draft today along with an announcement of sponsors .
Meanwhile , California Rep. Jackie Speier ’ s office confirmed to Truthout that she will lead a congressional delegation to Fort Hood this month to look into a strange and mysterious string of deaths and disappearances connected to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , that includes Guillén ’ s murder .
The subcommittee Representative Speier chairs , the House Armed Services Subcommittee on Military Personnel , along with the House Oversight Subcommittee on National Security announced a joint investigation into the chain of command at Fort Hood on Tuesday .
Active-duty GIs , activist veterans , and the families of murdered and disappeared troops began calling for a congressional investigation after Guillén was horrifically bludgeoned to death with a hammer and dismembered by a fellow soldier at the base in late April .
After her remains @ @ @ @ @ @ @ soldier suspected of killing her , Spc .
Aaron Robinson , shot himself dead as police tried to confront him .
Guillén ’ s family and their attorney , Natalie Khawam , who is drafting the new bill , allege that Robinson had repeatedly harassed Guillén .
Army officials say they have found evidence that others at the base may have harassed her but allegedly have no evidence against Robinson specifically .
Last week , former Fort Hood base commander Maj. Gen. Scott Efflandt was removed from his post , following scrutiny of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He will now serve as deputy commanding general for support .
U.S. Army Forces Command Deputy Chief of Staff Maj. Gen. John B. Richardson IV has taken over as acting senior commander of the base .
Major General Efflandt was slated to be transferred to Fort Bliss to head the 1st Armored Division but will now remain at Fort Hood until the Army ’ s ongoing investigations into potential systemic corruption is completed .
The Army also announced that Gen. John Murray is leading a new investigation into actions by the chain of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The widening investigation into the base ’ s leadership joins at least four other Army-led probes into the matter , including a civilian review committee created by Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy investigating the “ command climate and culture ” at Fort Hood .
The Guillén family has said repeatedly that they don ’ t trust the Army to investigate itself .
They want to see Major General Efflandt not merely demoted , but dishonorably discharged , fired and criminally charged for his failure to protect Guillén and other soldiers killed on the base @ @ @ @ @ @ @ building , Lupe Guillén , Vanessa Guillén ’ s 16-year-old sister , bore her trauma before more than 100 protesters , saying she hasn ’ t been able to sleep or eat properly for the past four-and-a-half months .
Through tears , she demanded the firing of every official in her sister ’ s chain of command and that police release any video they have of Robinson ’ s suicide .
She said the Army has changed the timeline and story of the events of April 22 , the day of Guillén ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there aren ’ t other witnesses to her sister ’ s murder or that there isn ’ t video capturing that day ’ s events at the heavily surveilled base .
“ We still don ’ t know the truth .
We haven ’ t gotten answers , and yet the Army is trying to cover this up .
Cover up after cover up , ” she told the crowd .
“ My sister , a woman and a human being , is not a sexual object .
Is that difficult to understand @ @ @ @ @ @ @ position .
She didn ’ t report it .
She stayed quiet .
Why ?
Because the Army does not care .
She was afraid of retaliation.
” After the rally , she told Truthout she hopes that Representative Speier ’ s delegation will hold Vanessa ’ s entire chain of command accountable and will “ find out and show the world that [ the base ’ s ] lack of safety and respect ” is killing its soldiers , and that its leadership is “ toxic.
” In addition to the forthcoming @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Accountability Office ( GAO ) accepted a request late last month to look at the implementation and effectiveness of the Army ’ s Sexual Harassment/Assault Response and Prevention program .
The GAO has yet to respond to requests from Representative Speier and other lawmakers , however , asking for a review of the Army ’ s missing persons policy , which has also come under scrutiny after Guillén ’ s disappearance and that of two other soldiers from Fort Hood over the past year .
Last month , Sgt .
Elder Fernandes went @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dead eight days later about 30 miles east of the base in Temple , Texas .
Before his disappearance , Fernandes had filed a report of abusive sexual contact .
Meanwhile , the Killeen Police Department is investigating the death of Pvt .
Gregory Wedel-Morales , whose remains were found in Killeen in June after going missing in August 2019 .
There have been at least 28 deaths this year among the post ’ s 36,500 soldiers , according to data obtained by the Associated Press from Fort Hood officials .
Base officials @ @ @ @ @ @ @ include seven off-duty accidents , seven suicides , one combat-related death , four homicides , two by natural causes , one that is still undetermined , and one drowning .
Military families and activists are calling for the base to be temporarily shut down until the congressional investigation is completed .
Uriel Guillén , Vanessa Guillén ’ s cousin , told Truthout he wasn ’ t surprised by last week ’ s shakeup at the base , but that it ’ s just a first step .
“ [ Major General Efflandt ] @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a danger to our soldiers .
He shouldn ’ t even be transferred because he ’ s just going to take those problems to a different base , ” he said .
The Guillén family believes organized criminal activity at the base is rampant and runs much deeper than the murders and disappearances that have been spilled out into the spotlight this year .
They believe the base ’ s top brass was actively involved in trying to cover up Guillén ’ s murder and that the forthcoming congressional investigation could uncover wider @ @ @ @ @ @ @ care about her .
My aunt , Gloria [ Vanessa ’ s mother ] , cried , begged [ Fort Hood officials ] to close down that base , and they laughed at her .
Her being an immigrant woman , they laughed at her , and said , ‘ Let ’ s ignore her .
What is she going to do ?
’ ” Uriel Guillén told Truthout .
Air Force veteran and military sexual assault survivor Pam Campos-Palma , who leads the Working Families Party ’ s Vets for the People @ @ @ @ @ @ @ base to be shut down .
She doubts the Army is accurately reporting the causes of deaths in many of the cases coming out of Fort Hood .
Like the police , Campos-Palma says , the military can ’ t be trusted not to lie when reporting on deaths related to its bases .
“ The Army says many of these [ deaths ] are suicides .
Our position is that who ’ s to say that that ’ s accurate ?
Who ’ s to say that ’ s true if the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of these suicides are compelled by toxic command , by a culture of criminality and cover-up , then that should be investigated — and who investigates ?
” she says .
Campos-Palma testified before one of the subcommittees now leading the investigation , the House Armed Services Subcommittee on Military Personnel , in December .
The committee held another hearing in July in which Army officials presented figures showing that , of 53 soldiers surveyed at Fort Hood , 18 had reported some type of harassment or assault .
U.S. Army Secretary McCarthy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ among the highest rates of murder , sexual assault and harassment in the Army .
It ’ s not just Fort Hood .
Rates of sexual assault are rising across the military .
The Defense Department ’ s annual Report on Sexual Assault in the Military , released in April , found 7,825 cases of sexual assault reported in fiscal year 2019 , up 3 percent from 6,326 reported in fiscal year 2018 .
The rate of sexual assault across all military branches was 5.1 per thousand troops .
Campos-Palma also hopes the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deeper look into the base ’ s structural racism and rape culture , as well as what she calls a toxic culture of promotion that is rendering lower-ranking GIs disposable .
Some of the country ’ s highest-ranking military generals , like former national security adviser Army Lt. Gen. H.R .
McMaster and Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Mark Milley , rose up from leadership positions at Fort Hood .
Shielding the men in this promotion pipeline , Campos-Palma says , has long been commanders ’ first priority .
“ There ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ top career generals and the protection of top career generals while people like Vanessa Guillén and Elder Fernandes are treated as government property and expendable , ” she tells Truthout .
Campos-Palma hopes members of Congress will hold other senior leaders whose actions may have played a role in this year ’ s deaths and disappearances responsible .
“ It ’ s not surprising to me that they ’ ve honed in on one general [ Major General Efflandt ] in the entire chain on command to kind of make a fall guy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has happened in the past , and my question is where are the other [ senior leaders ] in this ?
” Structural racism and rape culture , she says , are part and parcel of military service : They are “ inherent to the culture and even to certain leadership styles.
” This structural violence is nothing new ; it ’ s just being made visible in an unprecedented way this year .
Antiwar activist and former Army Col. Ann Wright has long tracked the Army ’ s stunning rates of sexual @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s particular history of sexual violence .
She points out that the Army can ’ t be trusted to accurately characterize deaths on its bases not only in the U.S. but around the world .
In fact , she notes , the Army has a history of covering up the deaths of women who were sexually assaulted by mischaracterizing their deaths as “ non-combat related injuries ” or “ suicide.
” During the height of the war in Iraq , several families of women soldiers disputed the Army ’ s reporting related @ @ @ @ @ @ @ country with an inordinate number of women GIs who died of “ non-combat related injuries ” or “ suicides.
” By 2008 , the deaths of at least eight women soldiers from Fort Hood who died on the Camp Taji base in Iraq had been classified this way .
Three were raped before their deaths .
“ Vanessa Guillén ’ s disappearance and all the things that have come out about it has brought to the surface , again , the continuing inability of the military to really address what these young men @ @ @ @ @ @ @ whether it be women or men , ” Wright says , referring to Fernandes as well as Guillén .
“ I suspect that [ Fernandes ] probably was not being given much counseling and much help , and if [ his death ] was indeed his own suicide , which I ’ m not so sure of , it certainly could be that he was just getting no support at all.
” Commanders at Fort Hood did not respond to Truthout ’ s request for comment about the Guillén family ’ s allegations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ categorizing this year ’ s deaths and disappearances .
Activist veterans and military families say that , ultimately , there can be no true justice or accountability for victims of military sexual assault and other forms of violent abuse as long as the military continues to investigate itself and as long as women GIs are expected to report sexual assaults through their chain of command .
“ It ’ s a good-old-boys network , and many of the old boys are the ones in charge of taking the complaints of those who have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ command , ” Wright says .
That corruption has even seeped into the base ’ s Sexual Harassment/Assault Response and Prevention ( SHARP ) unit .
In 2015 , one Fort Hood sergeant responsible for preventing sexual assaults and counseling assault victims as point man for his battalion ’ s SHARP unit , Sgt .
Gregory McQueen , was busted for pimping cash-strapped women soldiers under his command to higher-ups in a sex ring that lasted at least two years .
The judge in the case also found that McQueen aggressively kissed a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he wasn ’ t ultimately charged with sexual assault .
To make matters worse , just last month , two Fort Hood soldiers were arrested on charges related to their involvement in a child sex ring in which nine suspects traded money , drugs and alcohol for sex acts with girls aged 15 and 16 who were actually undercover agents .
The Guillén family says they are traveling to Washington , D.C. , this week to present the final draft of the # IAmVanessaGuillén bill and hopes the legislation will be introduced to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Guillén ’ s 21st birthday on September 30 .
They plan to hold a massive march in downtown Houston that week .
Guillén family members told Truthout that they hope to add a provision to the bill that would temporarily close down Fort Hood while the congressional subcommittees ’ investigation is conducted .
Additionally , the national outcry over the base ’ s pervasive and unmitigated sexual assault among its ranks has prompted Representative Speier and other lawmakers to introduce separate legislation that would establish a confidential reporting process for sexual harassment that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and would be integrated with the military ’ s Catch a Serial Offender Program .
“ The # IAmVanessaGuillén movement has become a rallying cry for survivors .
Congress must respond to this watershed moment to address the cultural rot that has festered in our armed forces for far too long , ” Representative Speier told Truthout in a statement .
“ We owe it to Spc .
Guillén and her family , and to all our servicemembers who have suffered the indignity of sexual harassment or assault and the betrayal of military @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Gloria Guillén , Vanessa Guillén ’ s mother , met with President Trump at the White House in July , speaking to him via a Spanish-English interpreter .
“ You have our support , and we ’ re working on it already , as you know , ” Trump told Gloria Guillén , backing the family ’ s bill .
But despite Trump ’ s endorsement of the bill , a recent report has called into question the president ’ s sincerity when it comes to military deaths , with sources telling The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ suckers ” and “ losers ” for dying in battle .
When asked about the report , Lupe Guillén told Truthout she hadn ’ t heard about it , but that , “ Those soldiers are giving their life away and getting murdered on base .
They deserve to be honored and respected .
”

The family is set to introduce a bill in Vanessa Guillén’s name on Capitol Hill next week.
The family of U.S. Army Spc. Vanessa Guillén, a Houston native whose murder has sparked a national outcry over the military’s handling of sexual harassment and assault, say last week’s leadership shakeup at Fort Hood, in which the base’s top general was demoted, isn’t good enough. The family and their lawyer are set to introduce a forthcoming bill in Guillén’s name next week.
The family marched to the Texas Capitol building Monday to demand an independent congressional investigation into Guillén’s murder and in support of the #IamVanessaGuillén bill that would allow active-duty service members to file claims of sexual harassment or assault to a third-party agency instead of through their military chain of command.
Meanwhile, California Rep. Jackie Speier’s office confirmed to Truthout that she will lead a congressional delegation to Fort Hood this month to look into a strange and mysterious string of deaths and disappearances connected to the sprawling Army base near Killeen, Texas, that includes Guillén’s murder.
The subcommittee Representative Speier chairs, the House Armed Services Subcommittee on Military Personnel, along with the House Oversight Subcommittee on National Security announced a joint investigation into the chain of command at Fort Hood on Tuesday.
Active-duty GIs, activist veterans, and the families of murdered and disappeared troops began calling for a congressional investigation after Guillén was horrifically bludgeoned to death with a hammer and dismembered by a fellow soldier at the base in late April. After her remains were found on July 1, the soldier suspected of killing her, Spc. Aaron Robinson, shot himself dead as police tried to confront him.
Guillén’s family and their attorney, Natalie Khawam, who is drafting the new bill, allege that Robinson had repeatedly harassed Guillén. Army officials say they have found evidence that others at the base may have harassed her but allegedly have no evidence against Robinson specifically.
Vanessa Guillén’s mother, Gloria Guillén (in the passenger seat) during a march in Austin in support of the family’s forthcoming #IamVanessaGuillén bill, on September 7, 2020. Candice Bernd
Last week, former Fort Hood base commander Maj. Gen. Scott Efflandt was removed from his post, following scrutiny of his handling of the Guillén case. He will now serve as deputy commanding general for support. U.S. Army Forces Command Deputy Chief of Staff Maj. Gen. John B. Richardson IV has taken over as acting senior commander of the base.
Major General Efflandt was slated to be transferred to Fort Bliss to head the 1st Armored Division but will now remain at Fort Hood until the Army’s ongoing investigations into potential systemic corruption is completed.
The Army also announced that Gen. John Murray is leading a new investigation into actions by the chain of command in Guillén’s case. The widening investigation into the base’s leadership joins at least four other Army-led probes into the matter, including a civilian review committee created by Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy investigating the “command climate and culture” at Fort Hood.
“We still don’t know the truth. We haven’t gotten answers, and yet the Army is trying to cover this up.”
The Guillén family has said repeatedly that they don’t trust the Army to investigate itself. They want to see Major General Efflandt not merely demoted, but dishonorably discharged, fired and criminally charged for his failure to protect Guillén and other soldiers killed on the base this year.
Outside the state Capitol building, Lupe Guillén, Vanessa Guillén’s 16-year-old sister, bore her trauma before more than 100 protesters, saying she hasn’t been able to sleep or eat properly for the past four-and-a-half months. Through tears, she demanded the firing of every official in her sister’s chain of command and that police release any video they have of Robinson’s suicide.
Lupe Guillén, Vanessa Guillén’s sister, and her mother, Gloria Guillén, speak to a crowd of protesters in front of the Texas state Capitol in Austin on September 7, 2020. Candice Bernd
She said the Army has changed the timeline and story of the events of April 22, the day of Guillén’s disappearance. She also doubts that there aren’t other witnesses to her sister’s murder or that there isn’t video capturing that day’s events at the heavily surveilled base.
“We still don’t know the truth. We haven’t gotten answers, and yet the Army is trying to cover this up. Cover up after cover up,” she told the crowd. “My sister, a woman and a human being, is not a sexual object. Is that difficult to understand? Put yourself in Vanessa’s position. She didn’t report it. She stayed quiet. Why? Because the Army does not care. She was afraid of retaliation.”
After the rally, she told Truthout she hopes that Representative Speier’s delegation will hold Vanessa’s entire chain of command accountable and will “find out and show the world that [the base’s] lack of safety and respect” is killing its soldiers, and that its leadership is “toxic.”
In addition to the forthcoming congressional delegation and investigation, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) accepted a request late last month to look at the implementation and effectiveness of the Army’s Sexual Harassment/Assault Response and Prevention program.
The GAO has yet to respond to requests from Representative Speier and other lawmakers, however, asking for a review of the Army’s missing persons policy, which has also come under scrutiny after Guillén’s disappearance and that of two other soldiers from Fort Hood over the past year.
My sister, a woman and a human being, is not a sexual object. Is that difficult to understand?”
Last month, Sgt. Elder Fernandes went missing from the base and was found dead eight days later about 30 miles east of the base in Temple, Texas. Before his disappearance, Fernandes had filed a report of abusive sexual contact. Meanwhile, the Killeen Police Department is investigating the death of Pvt. Gregory Wedel-Morales, whose remains were found in Killeen in June after going missing in August 2019.
There have been at least 28 deaths this year among the post’s 36,500 soldiers, according to data obtained by the Associated Press from Fort Hood officials. Base officials reported 23 deaths in July that allegedly include seven off-duty accidents, seven suicides, one combat-related death, four homicides, two by natural causes, one that is still undetermined, and one drowning.
Military families and activists are calling for the base to be temporarily shut down until the congressional investigation is completed.
Uriel Guillén, Vanessa Guillén’s cousin, told Truthout he wasn’t surprised by last week’s shakeup at the base, but that it’s just a first step. “[Major General Efflandt] needs to be out. He is a danger to our soldiers. He shouldn’t even be transferred because he’s just going to take those problems to a different base,” he said.
“[Major General Efflandt] needs to be out. He is a danger to our soldiers. He shouldn’t even be transferred.”
The Guillén family believes organized criminal activity at the base is rampant and runs much deeper than the murders and disappearances that have been spilled out into the spotlight this year. They believe the base’s top brass was actively involved in trying to cover up Guillén’s murder and that the forthcoming congressional investigation could uncover wider corruption.
“They didn’t care about her. My aunt, Gloria [Vanessa’s mother], cried, begged [Fort Hood officials] to close down that base, and they laughed at her. Her being an immigrant woman, they laughed at her, and said, ‘Let’s ignore her. What is she going to do?’” Uriel Guillén told Truthout.
Covering Up Structural Rape Culture
Air Force veteran and military sexual assault survivor Pam Campos-Palma, who leads the Working Families Party’s Vets for the People project, is likewise calling for the base to be shut down. She doubts the Army is accurately reporting the causes of deaths in many of the cases coming out of Fort Hood. Like the police, Campos-Palma says, the military can’t be trusted not to lie when reporting on deaths related to its bases.
“The Army says many of these [deaths] are suicides. Our position is that who’s to say that that’s accurate? Who’s to say that’s true if the Army is investigating itself? If some of these suicides are compelled by toxic command, by a culture of criminality and cover-up, then that should be investigated — and who investigates?” she says.
“The Army says many of these [deaths] are suicides. Our position is that who’s to say that that’s accurate? Who’s to say that’s true if the Army is investigating itself?”
Campos-Palma testified before one of the subcommittees now leading the investigation, the House Armed Services Subcommittee on Military Personnel, in December. The committee held another hearing in July in which Army officials presented figures showing that, of 53 soldiers surveyed at Fort Hood, 18 had reported some type of harassment or assault. U.S. Army Secretary McCarthy said last month that the base has among the highest rates of murder, sexual assault and harassment in the Army.
It’s not just Fort Hood. Rates of sexual assault are rising across the military. The Defense Department’s annual Report on Sexual Assault in the Military, released in April, found 7,825 cases of sexual assault reported in fiscal year 2019, up 3 percent from 6,326 reported in fiscal year 2018. The rate of sexual assault across all military branches was 5.1 per thousand troops.
Campos-Palma also hopes the congressional delegation and investigation will take a deeper look into the base’s structural racism and rape culture, as well as what she calls a toxic culture of promotion that is rendering lower-ranking GIs disposable.
Vanessa Guillén’s mother and sister, Gloria and Lupe Guillén, arrive at Austin’s Republic Square Park before marching to the Texas state Capitol on September 7, 2020. Candice Bernd
Some of the country’s highest-ranking military generals, like former national security adviser Army Lt. Gen. H.R. McMaster and Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Mark Milley, rose up from leadership positions at Fort Hood. Shielding the men in this promotion pipeline, Campos-Palma says, has long been commanders’ first priority.
“There’s more care for the promotability of top career generals and the protection of top career generals while people like Vanessa Guillén and Elder Fernandes are treated as government property and expendable,” she tells Truthout.
Campos-Palma hopes members of Congress will hold other senior leaders whose actions may have played a role in this year’s deaths and disappearances responsible. “It’s not surprising to me that they’ve honed in on one general [Major General Efflandt] in the entire chain on command to kind of make a fall guy,” she says. “This has happened in the past, and my question is where are the other [senior leaders] in this?”
Structural racism and rape culture, she says, are part and parcel of military service: They are “inherent to the culture and even to certain leadership styles.” This structural violence is nothing new; it’s just being made visible in an unprecedented way this year.
“There’s more care for the promotability of top career generals and the protection of top career generals while people like Vanessa Guillén and Elder Fernandes are treated as government property and expendable.”
Antiwar activist and former Army Col. Ann Wright has long tracked the Army’s stunning rates of sexual assault, as well as Fort Hood’s particular history of sexual violence. She points out that the Army can’t be trusted to accurately characterize deaths on its bases not only in the U.S. but around the world. In fact, she notes, the Army has a history of covering up the deaths of women who were sexually assaulted by mischaracterizing their deaths as “non-combat related injuries” or “suicide.”
During the height of the war in Iraq, several families of women soldiers disputed the Army’s reporting related to certain units and bases in the country with an inordinate number of women GIs who died of “non-combat related injuries” or “suicides.” By 2008, the deaths of at least eight women soldiers from Fort Hood who died on the Camp Taji base in Iraq had been classified this way. Three were raped before their deaths.
“Vanessa Guillén’s disappearance and all the things that have come out about it has brought to the surface, again, the continuing inability of the military to really address what these young men are doing to their fellow soldiers, whether it be women or men,” Wright says, referring to Fernandes as well as Guillén. “I suspect that [Fernandes] probably was not being given much counseling and much help, and if [his death] was indeed his own suicide, which I’m not so sure of, it certainly could be that he was just getting no support at all.”
“I suspect that [Fernandes] probably was not being given much counseling and much help.”
Commanders at Fort Hood did not respond to Truthout’s request for comment about the Guillén family’s allegations or about how the base has been categorizing this year’s deaths and disappearances.
Activist veterans and military families say that, ultimately, there can be no true justice or accountability for victims of military sexual assault and other forms of violent abuse as long as the military continues to investigate itself and as long as women GIs are expected to report sexual assaults through their chain of command.
“It’s a good-old-boys network, and many of the old boys are the ones in charge of taking the complaints of those who have been sexually assaulted in the chain of command,” Wright says.
“It’s a good-old-boys network, and many of the old boys are the ones in charge of taking the complaints of those who have been sexually assaulted.”
That corruption has even seeped into the base’s Sexual Harassment/Assault Response and Prevention (SHARP) unit. In 2015, one Fort Hood sergeant responsible for preventing sexual assaults and counseling assault victims as point man for his battalion’s SHARP unit, Sgt. Gregory McQueen, was busted for pimping cash-strapped women soldiers under his command to higher-ups in a sex ring that lasted at least two years. The judge in the case also found that McQueen aggressively kissed a female soldier against her will, but he wasn’t ultimately charged with sexual assault.
To make matters worse, just last month, two Fort Hood soldiers were arrested on charges related to their involvement in a child sex ring in which nine suspects traded money, drugs and alcohol for sex acts with girls aged 15 and 16 who were actually undercover agents.
Military Sex Assault Bills Gain Steam
The Guillén family says they are traveling to Washington, D.C., to introduce the #IAmVanessaGuillén bill on Capitol Hill September 16 and hopes the legislation will be passed before what would have been been Vanessa Guillén’s 21st birthday on September 30. They plan to hold a massive march in downtown Houston that week.
The Guillén family and their supporters in front of the Texas state Capitol on September 7, 2020. Candice Bernd
Guillén family members told Truthout they hope to add a provision to the bill that would temporarily close down Fort Hood while the congressional subcommittees’ investigation is conducted.
Additionally, the national outcry over the base’s pervasive and unmitigated sexual assault among its ranks has prompted Representative Speier and other lawmakers to introduce separate legislation that would establish a confidential reporting process for sexual harassment that is outside of the chain of command and would be integrated with the military’s Catch a Serial Offender Program.
“Congress must respond to this watershed moment to address the cultural rot that has festered in our armed forces for far too long.”
“The #IAmVanessaGuillén movement has become a rallying cry for survivors. Congress must respond to this watershed moment to address the cultural rot that has festered in our armed forces for far too long,” Representative Speier told Truthout in a statement. “We owe it to Spc. Guillén and her family, and to all our servicemembers who have suffered the indignity of sexual harassment or assault and the betrayal of military leadership failing to address those offenses.”
Gloria Guillén, Vanessa Guillén’s mother, met with President Trump at the White House in July, speaking to him via a Spanish-English interpreter. “You have our support, and we’re working on it already, as you know,” Trump told Gloria Guillén, backing the family’s bill.
But despite Trump’s endorsement of the bill, a recent report has called into question the president’s sincerity when it comes to military deaths, with sources telling The Atlantic that Trump disparaged U.S. troops as “suckers” and “losers” for dying in battle.
When asked about the report, Lupe Guillén told Truthout she hadn’t heard about it, but that, “Those soldiers are giving their life away and getting murdered on base. They deserve to be honored and respected.”
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truthout--2020-09-11--Trump Campaign Boots NYT Reporter After She Remarks on Lack of Masks at Rally

A New York Times reporter covering a rally for President Donald Trump in Freeland , Michigan , was kicked out of the event Thursday by the president ’ s campaign staff as she was detailing in real-time how individuals in the crowd were ignoring social distancing standards .
Kathy Gray , the Times reporter who attended the event , entered the crowd of Trump supporters to get a firsthand account of the rally and tweet her observations to social media followers .
The rally , which took place in an airport hangar and brought a crowd of around 5,000 Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ according to Gray .
Only about 10 percent of rally-goers were wearing masks , she added , defying Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ( CDC ) recommendations for universal masking to prevent the spread of coronavirus .
There is substantial evidence to suggest wearing facial coverings in settings where it ’ s not possible to practice six feet of separation from one person to the next can still vastly reduce the spread of the disease .
Less than 30 minutes after she started tweeting about the event , and just a few @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Gray announced on her Twitter account that she had been removed from the rally by Trump ’ s campaign team .
“ First for me : Trump campaign tracked me down from pics I tweeted and escorted me out , ” she said .
According to The Hill , the Trump campaign had removed Gray because she was not a credentialed reporter .
Gray was given the option to stay but not report on the event through social media , or to leave , the campaign staff said .
Gray said she had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump campaign never responded to her request .
In response , the Times defended Gray and criticized event organizers for booting the reporter from the rally .
“ We ’ re disappointed that the Trump campaign refused to credential our freelancer and then , when she registered and attended as a member of the public , they ejected her from the event , ” the newspaper said .
During the event itself , it did not appear that Trump had any concerns about the size of the crowd , nor the way in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ together .
Indeed , his comments seemed to imply he was proud of the fact .
“ This is not a crowd of a person who comes in second place , ” Trump told his audience .
Prior to the rally , Gov .
Gretchen Whitmer ( D-Michigan ) criticized the president for holding rallies without enforcing social distancing guidelines .
“ If the rallies are like those he ’ s held in recent days in other states , with lots of people close together without masks on projecting their voices , I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Whitmer said .
The rally in Freeland took place just two days after journalist Bob Woodward revealed the president understood in February that coronavirus was a matter of grave importance .
Trump told Woodward in February , for example , that he understood COVID-19 was a “ deadly ” virus .
In subsequent weeks , however , the president publicly stated that the pandemic was nothing for Americans to worry about , claiming it would disappear “ like a miracle , ” and scolded those who criticized his relaxed approach to the pandemic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ him for political reasons .
In mid-March , Trump once again spoke to Woodward , admitting that he was not being honest in his public statements about the seriousness of coronavirus .
“ I wanted to always play it down .
I still like playing it down , because I don ’ t want to create a panic , ” he said .
As of Friday morning , nearly 6.6 million Americans have contracted coronavirus since the pandemic began , with more than 196,000 having died from the disease so far .

Trump bragged about the size of the crowd at the Michigan rally, even though people were “crammed” close together.
A New York Times reporter covering a rally for President Donald Trump in Freeland, Michigan, was kicked out of the event Thursday by the president’s campaign staff as she was detailing in real-time how individuals in the crowd were ignoring social distancing standards.
Kathy Gray, the Times reporter who attended the event, entered the crowd of Trump supporters to get a firsthand account of the rally and tweet her observations to social media followers.
The rally, which took place in an airport hangar and brought a crowd of around 5,000 Trump devotees, was “crammed,” according to Gray. Only about 10 percent of rally-goers were wearing masks, she added, defying Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommendations for universal masking to prevent the spread of coronavirus.
There is substantial evidence to suggest wearing facial coverings in settings where it’s not possible to practice six feet of separation from one person to the next can still vastly reduce the spread of the disease.
Less than 30 minutes after she started tweeting about the event, and just a few minutes after Trump had started speaking, Gray announced on her Twitter account that she had been removed from the rally by Trump’s campaign team.
“First for me: Trump campaign tracked me down from pics I tweeted and escorted me out,” she said.
According to The Hill, the Trump campaign had removed Gray because she was not a credentialed reporter. Gray was given the option to stay but not report on the event through social media, or to leave, the campaign staff said.
Gray said she had applied for press credentials, but the Trump campaign never responded to her request.
In response, the Times defended Gray and criticized event organizers for booting the reporter from the rally.
“We’re disappointed that the Trump campaign refused to credential our freelancer and then, when she registered and attended as a member of the public, they ejected her from the event,” the newspaper said.
During the event itself, it did not appear that Trump had any concerns about the size of the crowd, nor the way in which people were packed in tight close together. Indeed, his comments seemed to imply he was proud of the fact.
“This is not a crowd of a person who comes in second place,” Trump told his audience.
Prior to the rally, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D-Michigan) criticized the president for holding rallies without enforcing social distancing guidelines. “If the rallies are like those he’s held in recent days in other states, with lots of people close together without masks on projecting their voices, I’m concerned about it,” Whitmer said.
The rally in Freeland took place just two days after journalist Bob Woodward revealed the president understood in February that coronavirus was a matter of grave importance.
Trump told Woodward in February, for example, that he understood COVID-19 was a “deadly” virus. In subsequent weeks, however, the president publicly stated that the pandemic was nothing for Americans to worry about, claiming it would disappear “like a miracle,” and scolded those who criticized his relaxed approach to the pandemic as leveling a “hoax” against him for political reasons.
In mid-March, Trump once again spoke to Woodward, admitting that he was not being honest in his public statements about the seriousness of coronavirus. “I wanted to always play it down. I still like playing it down, because I don’t want to create a panic,” he said.
As of Friday morning, nearly 6.6 million Americans have contracted coronavirus since the pandemic began, with more than 196,000 having died from the disease so far.
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truthout--2020-09-11--Beyond White Supremacist Groups, We Must Eradicate Systemic White Supremacy

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Since the police killing of George Floyd in May sparked a nationwide uprising against police brutality, armed white supremacists have taken to the streets of U.S. cities in response to Black Lives Matter protests. Organizing against systemic racism has been met with apparent attempts by the Trump administration to cover up white supremacist violence. We speak to legendary Black feminist scholar Barbara Smith, founder of the Combahee River Collective, about her proposal for an antiracist program called the Hamer-Baker Plan — named for Fannie Lou Hamer and Ella Baker — to eradicate white supremacy in the U.S. “I’m not just talking about white supremacist groups or organized white supremacy,” Smith says. “What I’m talking about is a system that actually dictates and shapes every aspect of life in the U.S.”
Please check back later for full transcript.
Tired of reading the same old news from the same old sources? So are we! That’s why we’re on a mission to shake things up and bring you the stories and perspectives that often go untold in mainstream media. But being a radically, unapologetically independent news site isn’t easy (or cheap), and we rely on reader support to keep the lights on.
If you like what you’re reading, please consider making a tax-deductible donation today. We’re not asking for a handout, we’re asking for an investment: Invest in a nonprofit news site that’s not afraid to ruffle a few feathers, not afraid to stand up for what’s right, and not afraid to tell it like it is.
This piece was reprinted by Truthout with permission or license. It may not be reproduced in any form without permission or license from the source.