Rep. Matt Rosendale, U.S. Representative for Montana's 2nd District | Official U.S. House headshot
Rep. Matt Rosendale, U.S. Representative for Montana's 2nd District | Official U.S. House headshot
In a bold move, Congressman Matt Rosendale of Montana has officially submitted articles of impeachment against U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd James Austin III. The articles accuse Secretary Austin of acting contrary to the trust and duty of an Officer of the United States and degrading the honor of the country by providing aid to its enemies.
The impeachment resolution, known as House Resolution 951, has been submitted to a committee for consideration. Congressman Rosendale expressed his intentions in a video statement after submitting the resolution, saying, "I just dropped off the Resolution for the Impeachment of Lloyd Austin, Secretary of Defense. That should be assigned to a committee and begin consideration so that he will have his day in court, as they say."
The primary focus of the articles of impeachment is an incident involving a Chinese high-altitude balloon that flew over North American airspace from January 28 to February 4, 2023. Secretary Austin is accused of failing to take appropriate action when the balloon was first detected, allowing it to hover over Malmstrom Air Force Base, which houses intercontinental ballistic missiles.
The first article highlights Secretary Austin's failure to demolish or obstruct the balloon when it was initially detected. This failure resulted in the balloon lingering over a critical military installation. The second article accuses Secretary Austin of either willfully ignoring available reports or failing to investigate the properties of the enemy balloon. It was later revealed that the balloon had the capability to capture images and transmit signals, despite initial denials from the Pentagon. This alleged negligence by Secretary Austin is seen as a dereliction of duty.
Furthermore, the articles claim that Secretary Austin did not take prompt action when the balloon entered Montana airspace, failing to order its interception. He also neglected to organize a briefing for Members of Congress and failed to address the American people directly, despite the potential impact of the Chinese balloon.
The final article asserts that Pentagon officials, under Secretary Austin's direction, lied to the American people about the incident and the dangers it posed to the United States. It was reported that the Chinese balloon used a U.S. internet service provider to transmit data, and the Biden Administration intended to remain silent unless American citizens reported the balloon.
These articles of impeachment reflect Congressman Rosendale's belief that Secretary Austin's actions during the incident with the Chinese balloon demonstrate his unfitness for office and a breach of his duty as Secretary of Defense. The submission of the impeachment resolution marks the beginning of a legal process that will determine the fate of Secretary Austin.
As the impeachment articles move forward, the American people will be watching closely to see how this controversy unfolds and whether Secretary Austin will be held accountable for his alleged actions.
Click this link to access more information: https://rosendale.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=739
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