After pressure from Waxman, Gates allows Pentagon’s sexual assault expert to testify.
After pressure from Waxman, Gates allows Pentagon’s sexual assault expert to testify.
Earlier this month, the Pentagon ignored a subpoena and blocked Dr. Kaye Whitley, the director of its Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Office, from testifying. After Rep. Henry Waxman (D-CA) threatened to hold Defense Secretary Bob Gates in contempt and wrote a letter to him yesterday, Gates today finally agreed to allow Whitley to testify. The Crypt reports:
Defense Secretary Robert Gates has given in to a demand by Rep. Henry Waxman (R-Calif.), chairman of the Oversight and Government Reform Committee, that he allow a Defense Department employee, Dr. Kaye Whitley, to testify. The letter from Waxman was also signed by ranking minority member Tom Davis, subcommittee chairman John Tierney (D-Mass.) and ranking member Christopher Shays (R-Conn.).
The AP reported last month that “of the women veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan who have walked into a VA facility, 15 percent have screened positive for military sexual trauma.”
Topic Cloud
ArchivesBlog Roll
May the truth come out!
August 13th, 2008 at 8:06 pmTo my knowledge, Gates had been doing well with congress. I’m surprised at his sudden resistence in dealing with this plague within our military.
August 13th, 2008 at 8:08 pmAre we just going to have more toothless hearings; nothing changes, nothing ever happens to those responsible, just same old/same old.
August 13th, 2008 at 8:21 pmReferencing an earlier blogpost, not only doesn’t abortion affect a woman’s mental health, neither does rape. They are women, hear them roar.
August 13th, 2008 at 8:41 pmGates was afraid to let her testify, now he’s afraid to resist Waxman. I don’t think this will necessarily be just another toothless hearing. People are generally apathetic about congressional hearings, but this one might be different.
August 13th, 2008 at 8:46 pmWhat to expect from a WAR CRIMINAL like Gates?!?? Althogh remaining behind the curtain,He was directly involved in the Iran-Contra scandal! Gates… HAGUE 2009!
August 13th, 2008 at 8:54 pmWaxman is a Democrat. Might want to put a [sic] in there TP.
August 13th, 2008 at 8:59 pmOh good, I see it in the main text. Sorry TP!
August 13th, 2008 at 8:59 pmSo, one letter in how many has wrought results?
Let’s stop the “sternly-worded letter” facade and start actually finding these (un)artful dodgers in contempt of congress.
PEACE
August 13th, 2008 at 9:07 pmWell now that the “boys club” has had enough time to work her for the right responses…… sure, you can talk to her.
August 13th, 2008 at 9:22 pmI hope she has enough self respect to protect her sisters by telling the TRUTH.
Earlier this month, the Pentagon ignored a subpoena and blocked Dr. Kaye Whitley, the director of its Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Office, from testifying.
Where does the Pentagon get off ignoring subpoenas? The military is apolitical, or so they tell us. It’s the military’s job to take orders from the civilian government, not ignore them.
http://progressiveworldreview.com
August 13th, 2008 at 9:26 pm“Defense Secretary Robert Gates has given in to a demand by Rep. Henry Waxman (R-Calif.).”
It’s good to see Republicans standing up to Republicans and corruption..
August 13th, 2008 at 10:30 pmAnd here comes Tanq w/ today’s totally idiotic, inane, and pointless comment.
What would a day at TP be w/out Tanqueray’s daily dose of industrial strength stupid?
August 14th, 2008 at 2:18 amThis is hard to believe….Gates giving in to Waxman? Something is not quite right here!
August 14th, 2008 at 4:38 amTanq you really are stupid. We all get that your feeble mind is engaged only in regurgitating the hivemind, Limborgian talking points you have been programmed with but really what do you think you accomplish other than showing how inordinatly proud you are of your ignorance? Why were they stopping the Governments own expert on sexual harassment? I guess she would be the one to say if sexual harassment is more prevelent in the military or not. I swear if you ever had an original thought that is believing something besides what you are ordered to believe by the Limborg you would mistake it for an aneurism
August 14th, 2008 at 4:42 amDoD and especially the Army have, for the last generation and more, been very lax in enforcement while putting up a good PR front in relation to sexual harassment and sexual offenses. This is attributable, in no small measure, to failing to hold commanders’ feet to the fire and making them accountable for prevention and enforcement in their performance evaluations (OERs, etc.).
August 14th, 2008 at 6:49 amWith the attitude of the Pentagon and White house about “values” I suppose this will just be part of collateral damage. The women who have reported rape and abuse in the military have done so at great peril from what I understand. The rape was bad enough but what comes to a whistle-blower can amount to much worse.
August 14th, 2008 at 10:43 am