Emerald Coast Times

Washington, D.C. - U.S. Congressman Matt Gaetz of Florida has sent a letter to Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall demanding answers regarding the recent actions taken by the leadership at Minot Air Force Base (AFB) in North Dakota. The congressman expressed grave concern over the decision to warn service members that attending a local event featuring a speaker from the conservative organization Turning Point Action could jeopardize their military careers.

The leadership at Minot AFB sent a series of messages to service members, cautioning them against attending the "Dakota Patriot Rally" in downtown Minot, which featured Turning Point Action's Chief Operating Officer Tyler Bowyer as a speaker. The leadership labeled Turning Point Action as an "alt-right organization" and claimed that attending events associated with the organization could endanger their continued service in the U.S. military.

In his letter, Congressman Gaetz highlighted the partisan nature of these messages and the infringement on the constitutional rights of service members. He called for transparency and requested information on the decision-making process that led to the suppression of freedom of speech and assembly.

The letter stated, "You are obligated to intervene, as this series of actions demonstrates a clear misapplication of the Hatch Act, which states members on active duty should not engage in political activities while in uniform to avoid creating the appearance that their political activities imply official Department of Defense (DoD) sponsorship, approval or endorsement of a candidate, campaign, or cause."

Congressman Gaetz pointed out that the Dakota Patriot Rally took place after work hours and not on federal property, questioning the justification for warning service members against attending. He emphasized that the messages and emails from command indicate a growing politicization within the Department of the Air Force (DAF) that favors one political party or view.

The congressman also referred to Air Force Instruction 51-508, which clearly defines the permitted activities of Air Force members while in the DAF. He noted that attending partisan and nonpartisan political events as a spectator, when not in uniform and without implying official sponsorship, approval, or endorsement, is allowed.

Regarding the specific incident at Minot AFB, Congressman Gaetz requested information on the individuals responsible for issuing the messages, the policies within the DAF that forbid participation in political causes while off duty, the reasoning behind the determination that attending the rally could jeopardize a service member's career, and the actions the DAF will take to ensure that service members' constitutional rights are not violated in the future.

This letter from Congressman Gaetz sheds light on the suppression of service members' freedom of speech and assembly at Minot AFB. It raises concerns about the politicization of military installations and the potential violation of the Hatch Act. The congressman's call for transparency and accountability aims to protect the constitutional rights of service members and ensure that such incidents are not repeated in the future.

Click this link to access more information: https://gaetz.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-gaetz-confronts-air-force-secretary-political-bias-against