10 former defense secretaries warn of US military involvement in electoral disputes

WASHINGTON – As President Donald Trump scrambles to fuel allegations of stolen elections in his administration’s final days, the country’s 10 living Defense Secretaries warned on Sunday that the U.S. military should play no part in the determining the outcome of an American election.

“Each of us has taken an oath to support and defend the Constitution against all enemies, foreign and national. We have not sworn it to an individual or to a party,” wrote Defense Secretaries Mark Esper, James Mattis, Ash Carter, Chuck Hagel, Leon Panetta, Dick Cheney, William Cohen, Robert Gates, William Perry and Donald Rumsfeld in an op-ed published Sunday in the Washington Post.

“Efforts to involve the US armed forces in the resolution of electoral disputes would take us into dangerous, illegal and unconstitutional territory,” the former Secretaries of Defense wrote.

“Civilian and military officials who direct or carry out such measures would be responsible, including potentially liable to criminal sanctions, for the serious consequences of their actions on our republic,” they added.

Former Defense Secretaries, who collectively oversaw US military forces for nearly 50 years, argued that “the time to question the results” of the US presidential election has passed.

“Our elections have taken place. Recounts and audits have been carried out. The courts have taken up the appropriate challenges. The governors have certified the results. And the electoral college has voted. The time for questioning the results has passed. the time for the official counting of the Electoral College votes, as prescribed in the Constitution and the statute, has arrived, ”wrote the former Defense Secretaries, two of whom served under Trump.

The secretaries called on Trump’s acting Defense Secretary Christopher Miller, as well as political appointees and officials to “refrain from any political action that would jeopardize the election results or hinder the success of the news. team”.

“We ask them, in the strongest terms, to do as so many generations of Americans have done before them. This latest action is in keeping with the highest traditions and professionalism of the United States military, as well as the history of the democratic transition in our country, a great country, ”they wrote.

Trump, despite a series of failed court challenges, has not conceded the election to Democrat Joe Biden, who will be inaugurated on January 20. Instead, Trump touted bogus allegations of rigged election and pushed members of his own party to engage in plots to reverse Biden’s victory, lashing out when they voice opposition to his plans.

Over the weekend, Trump’s ambitions were exposed in an extraordinary phone call with Georgia’s Republican Secretary of State.

During the call with Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, the president said he wanted “to find 11,780 votes” that would nullify Biden’s victory in Georgia, according to audio obtained by NBC News.

Raffensperger has resisted pressure from Trump to alter election results in Georgia, even as the president made veiled threats of potential criminal prosecution if denied.

At least 12 Republican senators have called on Congress to delay certification of Biden’s victory in a joint session on Wednesday. Vice President Mike Pence, who will chair the session, praised the Senators’ ploy, which has no chance of success as Democrats control the House and several Republicans oppose it.

Republican Senator Mitt Romney of Utah, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania, among others, have expressed strong opposition to attempts to overturn Biden’s victory.

Pro-Trump protests are expected to take place in the nation’s capital on Wednesday as Congress meets to certify Biden as the new president and Kamala Harris as vice president. Trump has said he will attend the protests.