Though I search a dozen stories, I cannot find what I did the day before -- this mention of Thomas Modly suggesting one reasoning for his firing of the USS Theodore Roosevelt commander was concern for President Trump, and not wanting to not want to put the president in an unfavorable position.
Modly fired the commander, Brett Cozier, when Cozier voiced concern for the crew of the ship amidst a COVID-19 outbreak.
Thomas Modly was then the acting Secretary of the Navy. He didn't want the president to face the scrutiny he had faced under his predecessor, Richard Spencer -- who the Trump administration fired for clinging to action against Eddie Gallagher for alleged war crimes.
Yes, it is getting a little complicated, but read on. You will be glad that you did.
Remember when the President used his power to exonerate three who were accused of these war crimes? If you study the Gallagher case, you might conclude, with me, that justice went far astray. Our president was wrong to exonerate a military officer who might well have been a serial killer. Then, the president had Spencer removed from office as Spencer was not budging on taking some kind of action against Gallagher.
And, Modly did not want to put Trump through anything like that again? Modly was placed in his office because the guy before him was standing up to the president? And, now it was his turn, he was going to have the president's back? He appreciated the president's giving him the appointment, and he was going to be true to the president?
If you want justice in your land, you don't get rid of people who will stand in its way and replace them with those who will not.
We need leaders who will stand for right. Leaders who who will not sell out to the president.
A quick overview of the Eddie Gallagher affair: There is the charge that he once bragged of killing about three people a day for 80 days running. "We need to cleanse Muslims like the Old Testament," Gallagher allegedly said. Now, if you see the Muslims as unworthy to live, that might be acceptable to you. But, indiscriminately killing civilians is a war crime.
And, an affront to all that America stands for.
Gallagher allegedly said he was, "okay with shooting women."
Came the day, allegedly, that the SEALs captured an ISIS fighter. He was unarmed, badly wounded, in the throes of dying. Gallagher allegedly walked up and sunk a knife deep into him.
The talk of killing hundreds? Was it dismissed as bravado and dark humor? No bodies were found. There were no autopsies to substantiate any murders. Gallagher is said to have intimidated potential witnesses, threatening them. How many of them plead the Fifth and decline to testify against him, I do not know. Gallagher beat the charges and was acquitted. But, the Spencer and the Navy were demoting him, anyway -- until President Trump stepped in and restored him to his rank.
We need Americans who will stand up to such injustice. We need leaders who will stand for what is right. We have a president who fires those who criticize him and sweeps his house of those who stand in his way.
By resigning today, Modly helps to keep the Gallagher affair from boiling back before the public's conscience. This will serve to help keep it under wraps.
Which is sad. It is a story that needs to be told.
(Note: Spots reworded April 8.)
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