A U.S. Army spokesperson told the publication ArmyTimes on Thursday that the army is launching an investigation into how a handout that described President Donald Trump’s campaign slogan “Make America Great Again” as “covert white supremacy” was used to promote a diversity presentation at Redstone Arsenal.
As Yellowhammer News reported on Wednesday, U.S. Representative Mo Brooks (R-Huntsville) first brought the flyers to light and argued that they were an illegal violation of the Hatch Act which prevents military personnel from wading into partisan politics.
According to Brooks, the flyers were disseminated only by a U.S. Army employee through an official U.S. Army email address as a way to promote a “listening session” for military employees and contractors.
Cynthia O. Smith, an Army spokesperson, told ArmyTimes “as soon as Department of the Army leaders were made aware of these products the Army initiated a 15-6 investigation to determine how this happened.”
“The Army does not condone the use of phrases that indicate political support. The Army is and will continue to remain an apolitical organization,” added Smith.
Smith said the sheet, and others brought to light by Brooks, were “copied from a non-government website” and “were in no way used” at the actual event hosted by the Army.
According to ArmyTimes, the listening tour that was to be held in Huntsville is part of an effort that Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy launched in the wake of George Floyd’s death called “Project Inclusion” that aims “to improve diversity, equity and inclusion across the force and build cohesive teams.”
Information was not available with regard to how long the Army’s investigation would take.
Henry Thornton is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You can contact him by email: [email protected] or on Twitter @HenryThornton95
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