Investigate the pretrial confinement of Major Jason Watson and advocate for his immediate release. Under military justice rules, pretrial confinement exists to ensure a service member's presence at trial or prevent serious misconduct. Neither justification applies here.
Major Watson is a non-violent officer with 17 years of exemplary service. His alleged offense was holding a sign reading "Impeach. Convict. Remove." and speaking at a news conference where he criticized military actions in Venezuela, Cuba, and Iran. Those actions have not been authorized by Congress, making them illegal by definition. Punishing a service member for exercising free speech before any conviction is not justice. It is retaliation.
The reported conditions of his confinement make this worse. Lights on around the clock and dangerously cold temperatures are not pretrial detention. They are punishment. On top of this, his 17 years of service have earned him a pension and benefits that are now being withheld. That must be corrected. Major Watson's record and the nature of his alleged conduct make him a clear candidate for pretrial release, and the conditions of his current confinement demand immediate scrutiny.
First sent on November 7 by Karla
iMessage
Text
