OKC Standard

On Thursday, U.S. Senator Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) joined Chairman Roger Wicker (R-MS) and ten other Senate Armed Services Committee Republicans in addressing a letter to President Biden. The correspondence demands accountability for the Pentagon's response to an Inspector General report concerning Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin’s chain of command failures during his hospitalizations in 2023 and 2024.

The senators highlighted that on two occasions, Secretary Austin did not secure his chain of command or inform Congress, potentially leading to significant national security risks. They stated: “For days in December, January, and June, no one in Congress or in your administration knew that Secretary Austin was unable to perform the functions and duties of the Secretary, or that Deputy Secretary Hicks was the acting Secretary.”

They further emphasized the global instability at those times: "At the time of these absences...Putin continued his violent and illegal war on Ukraine all the while rattling the nuclear saber...and violent Islamic terrorists and other Iran-backed extremists were ramping up for an historic assault on Israel." The senators stressed that "no one had control of the nuclear football," adding urgency to their call for accountability.

The letter argues that holding Secretary Austin accountable is overdue. It states: “Secretary Austin must be held accountable for betraying his office, betraying the trust of the American people...The American people are sick of impunity for those at the top of our military."

In January 2024, Republican colleagues sent a letter with questions regarding Austin's incapacitation which were addressed later by the Inspector General report.

Joining Mullin and Wicker in signing this letter were Senators Deb Fischer (R-NE), Tom Cotton (R-AK), Mike Rounds (R-SD), Joni Ernst (R-IA), Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Rick Scott (R-FL), Tommy Tuberville (R-AL), Ted Budd (R-NC), Eric Schmitt (R-MO), Jim Banks (R-IN), and Tim Sheehy (R-MT).

President Biden received a detailed account from these senators about concerns related to failures under Secretary Austin’s tenure. The document cited multiple violations by both Austin and Deputy Secretary Kathleen Hicks as found by a Department of Defense Office of Inspector General report released recently.

This report revealed incidents where neither Congress nor key officials were notified about incapacitations within leadership ranks—a breach described as a violation under Federal Vacancies Reform Act principles meant to ensure governmental oversight remains intact even during transitions.

The communication underscores disappointment over perceived delays attributed partly due perhaps political interference obstructing timely release ahead mere days before administrative transitions occur at highest levels including potential exits involving both President himself alongside implicated defense headlining figures such as aforementioned Lloyd Austins themselves amidst prevailing discussions focused predominantly towards ensuring broader adherence standard protocols applicable irrespective rank thereby ensuring robust functioning military apparatus without interruptions despite challenging circumstances sometimes encountered operationally domestically internationally alike shared interests aligned accordingly ultimately seeking better governance transparency moving forward collectively achieved together stakeholders involved respective capacities roles fulfilled responsibly consciously managed sustainably indefinitely safeguarded effectively prudently strategically astutely 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