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U.S. NEWS Friday 16 august 2024
Lawmakers ask Pentagon leaders to commit to keeping the

military out of politics and the election

By LOLITA C. BALDOR rupted the peaceful trans-
Associated Press fer of power, principled mil-
WASHINGTON (AP) — itary leaders made it clear
Members of Congress are they would not help that
pressing the Pentagon’s effort and took an impor-
top two leaders to ensure tant stand for democracy,”
the military is not swept up Slotkin said.
in politics during the presi- “Now, prominent leaders
dential election and that are once again declar-
active-duty troops are not ing that if given a chance,
used illegally as a domestic they will use the military for
police force. their own political ends.”
The concerns come as the In the letter, she and Sherrill
campaign heats up the said they “feel compelled
first presidential vote since to look ahead to decisions
the riot at the U.S. Capitol that you, as the most senior
on Jan. 6, 2021, aimed at defense officials, may be
preventing Joe Biden’s vic- called upon to make in the
tory from being certified. next six months.”
Former President Donald Slotkin is a former senior de-
Trump continues to claim fense policy official, and
that fraud cost him the Sherrill served as a Navy
2020 election even though helicopter pilot.
his own attorney general, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Air Force Gen. CQ Brown, speaks during a hearing, May 8, When similar questions
recounts and investigations 2024, in Washington. were posed to former Joint
found no evidence of that. Associated Press Chiefs Chairman Mark Mil-
And he still faces charges should not carry out unlaw- the ultraconservative blue- Justice Department. ley just a few months be-
of illegally conspiring to ful orders. print for the next Republi- While the document was fore the 2020 election, he
undo the results of the elec- The letter, written by Demo- can White House, in under- organized by many of responded bluntly, “I be-
tion. cratic Reps. Elissa Slotkin of scoring fears that the mili- Trump’s former aides, it is lieve deeply in the prin-
In a letter to Defense Secre- Michigan and Mikie Sherrill tary will be used to actively not a part of his campaign, ciple of an apolitical U.S.
tary Lloyd Austin and Gen. of New Jersey, mirrors ques- police the southern border. which has its own series of military.” And he added
CQ Brown, chairman of the tions posed in the run-up The nearly 1,000-page proposals. Trump and his that, “In the event of a dis-
Joint Chiefs of Staff, law- to the 2020 election when document includes star- campaign have distanced pute over some aspect of
makers asked the defense Trump was already sug- tling proposals such as firing themselves from the proj- the elections, by law U.S.
leaders to reaffirm that U.S. gesting that he might not large swaths of the federal ect and he’s called some courts and the U.S. Con-
law prohibits forces from accept the results of the government workforce and of the proposals extreme. gress are required to re-
being used for civilian law election if he lost. disassembling longstand- “In 2020, when the former solve any disputes, not the
enforcement and that they They point to Project 2025, ing agencies, including the President and others dis- U.S. military.”q

Vance and Walz agree to a vice presidential debate on Oct. 1

hosted by CBS News

By MEG KINNARD the network had invited sage seeking comment on Harris to lead their ticket. from the race. Vance has
Associated Press both Vance and Walz to Vance’s acceptance of Vance has largely kept lobbed critiques against
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — debate in New York City, the earlier debate that he his focus trained on Har- Walz, including question-
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz presenting four possible said would be on CNN or ris, whom he would have ing the retired Army Na-
and Ohio Sen. JD Vance dates Sept. 17, Sept. 24, whether Walz would par- been set to debate be- tional Guardsman’s ser-
have agreed to debate Oct. 1 and Oct. 8 as op- ticipate in that one as well. fore Biden’s departure vice record.q
each other on Oct. 1, set- tions. Representatives for CNN
ting up a matchup of po- Walz reposted that mes- confirmed that Vance had
tential vice presidents as sage from his own cam- accepted the network’s
early voting in some states paign account, “See you debate invitation.
gets underway for the on October 1, JD.” The “CBS Evening News” an-
general election. Harris-Walz campaign fol- chor Norah O’Donnell
And Vice President Ka- lowed up with a message and Margaret Brennan
mala Harris has forecast of its own, saying Walz of “Face the Nation” will
the scheduling of a sec- “looks forward to debat- moderate the Oct. 1 de-
ond debate between ing JD Vance if he shows bate, according to the
Donald Trump and herself, up.” network.
although that matchup Vance posted on X that Whether or not Walz and
appeared to be contin- he would accept the Oct. Vance would debate be-
gent on the GOP nominee 1 invitation. He also chal- fore the Nov. 5 general
participating in an already lenged Walz to meet on election had been in ques-
scheduled Sept. 10 de- Sept. 18. tion. In just the past sev- Republican vice presidential nominee Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio
bate with Harris. Officials with the Harris- eral weeks, President Joe speaks at a campaign event, Wednesday, Aug. 14, 2024, in
CBS News on Wednesday Walz campaign did not Biden left the campaign Byron Center, Mich.
posted on its X feed that immediately return a mes- and Democrats selected Associated Press