Gillibrand leads fight to overhaul military justice, but 'a handful of powerful men' are in the way
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A major overhaul of how the military prosecutes many types of crimes has the support of a majority of members of Congress—even clearing the Senate’s 60-vote filibuster threshold. But it’s likely to be dramatically scaled back in the $768 billiGillibrand leads fight to overhaul military justice, but 'a handful of powerful men' are in the way
A major overhaul of how the military prosecutes many types of crimes has the support of a majority of members of Congress—even clearing the Senate’s 60-vote filibuster threshold. But it’s likely to be dramatically scaled back in the $768 billion defense bill because of the opposition of the Defense Department and a minority of members of Congress that includes Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Jack Reed, a Democrat. The plan would “professionalize how the military prosecutes serious crimes by moving the decision over whether to prosecute them to independent, experienced military prosecutors,” according to a press release from Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, who has relentlessly pressed for the shift away from a system in which military commanders make prosecution decisions. Instead, though, the defense bill looks likely to include a more limited proposal focusing on sexual assault and related crimes. Read more
