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A4 U.S. NEWS
Saturday 21 OctOber 2017
White House: No required sentences in military justice cases

By KEN THOMAS receive harsh punishment.
Associated Press Without referencing Berg-
WASHINGTON (AP) — The dahl, the White House
White House said Friday statement Friday said,
that any military justice “There are no expected or
case must be “resolved on required dispositions, out-
its own facts” after Army comes, or sentences in any
Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl argued military justice case, other
that President Donald than those resulting from
Trump’s past criticism pre- the individual facts and
vented him from receiving merits of a case.” It added,
a fair sentence on charges “Each military justice case
he endangered comrades must be resolved on its own
in Afghanistan. facts.”
The White House statement White House officials de-
did not mention Bergdahl clined to say that the state-
by name but appeared to ment was related to Berg-
address questions related dahl’s case.
to his case. It said Trump Bergdahl’s lawyers con-
“expects all military person- tend that the president’s
nel” involved in the military comment Monday is prob-
justice process “to exercise lematic because Trump is
their independent profes- In this Oct. 16, 2017, file photo, Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl returns to the Fort Bragg courthouse after a now commander in chief.
sional judgment.” lunch break on Fort Bragg, N.C. The White House issued a statement regarding military justice on “President Trump stands at
Bergdahl pleaded guilty Oct. 20 that does not mention Bergdahl by name. It says Trump “expects all military personnel” in the pinnacle of an unbro-
this week to charges that the military justice process “to exercise their independent professional judgment.” ken chain of command
could send him to prison (Andrew Craft/Fayetteville Observer via AP) that includes key partici-
for life. But his lawyers have marks during an impromptu my comments in the past” date, Trump repeatedly pants in the remaining criti-
asked to have the case dis- news conference Monday about Bergdahl. called Bergdahl a “traitor” cal steps of the case,” the
missed in light of Trump’s re- that “people have heard As a presidential candi- and suggested he should defense wrote. q

Top Dems nix White House demands to alter health care deal

By ALAN FRAM rejected White House law to a bipartisan deal faced an uphill path and official who said the
Associated Press demands Friday to add on steadying unsettled this was the latest blow. measure must provide
WASHINGTON (AP) — provisions weakening insurance markets. The two Democrats were language lifting the tax
Top Senate Democrats the Obama health care The compromise already reacting to a White House penalties President Barack
Obama’s Affordable Care
Act imposes on people
who don’t buy coverage
and employers who don’t
offer plans to employees.
The White House also
wants provisions making
it easier for people to
buy low-premium policies
with less coverage, said
the official, who was not
authorized to describe
the demands on the
record. Murray reached
agreement last week with
Sen. Lamar Alexander,
R-Tenn., for a two-year
extension of federal
payments to insurers that
President Donald Trump
has blocked.
The measure would also
give states modest new
flexibility to let insurers
sidestep some coverage
requirements under
Obama’s law.
Failure to restore the money
is already leading many
insurers to boost premiums
and is threatening to chase
others out of unprofitable
markets around the
country.q