Congressional Republicans Urging Military Officers to Rebel Against Obama
Colorado representative wants generals to quit in protest
Members of Congress have been talking to U.S. generals behind the scenes and urging them to publicly resign “in a blaze of glory” if they disagree with how the White House is handling conflicts in the Middle East, according to U.S. Rep. Doug Lamborn of Colorado.
The Republican member of the House Armed Services Committee made the remarks at a Sept. 23 liberty group meeting in the basement of a Colorado Springs bar … following a kilt-wearing contest.
During a question-and-answer portion of the forum, a service member urged Lamborn to work with his congressional colleagues in both parties to “support the generals and the troops in this country despite the fact that there is no leadership from the Muslim Brotherhood in the White House.”
“You know what, I can’t add anything to that, but do let me reassure you on this,” Lamborn said. “A lot of us are talking to the generals behind the scenes, saying, ‘Hey, if you disagree with the policy that the White House has given you, let’s have a resignation.’”
“‘You know, let’s have a public resignation, and state your protest, and go out in a blaze of glory,’” Lamborn continued. “And I haven’t seen that very much, in fact I haven’t seen that at all in years.”
A Pentagon spokesperson did not reply to an e-mail for comment by the time this story was posted.
The congressman’s comments didn’t stir much of a response from a crowd of about 50, not all of whom were friendly to the four-term incumbent who narrowly squeaked by in a bitter Republican primary.
Lamborn, whose top five campaign contributors include Lockheed Martin and Koch Industries, represents Colorado’s military-heavy Fifth Congressional District anchored by Colorado Springs, a Christian conservative stronghold that’s home to Focus on the Family and five military installations including the Air Force Academy. In 2012, Mitt Romney carried the district with 59 percent of the vote.
Democrat Irv Halter, a retired Air Force major general who is running against Lamborn, seized on his opponent’s comments, accusing the congressman of politicizing the military.
“Our elected officials should not be encouraging our military leaders to resign when they have a disagreement over policy,” Halter said in a statement. “Someone who serves on the House Armed Services Committee should know better.”
A spokesman for the House Armed Services Committee didn’t immediately respond to an e-mail or voicemail, nor did Lamborn’s communications director.
Halter so far has raised more money than his Republican opponent, an issue that came up during Lamborn’s talk with voters this week, and which he largely shrugged off.
“If you’re perceived as being in a safe district, there is a limit to people contributing to you,” he said when a voter asked why his Democratic challenger is out-fundraising him in a conservative district. “I’m just not considered to be in a dangerous situation.”
Lamborn’s campaign has said the congressman will not debate his opponent.
