As President Obama gets ready to exit the White House, he’s now being flooded with pardon requests from across the nation. Alabama Congressman Bradley Byrne is making is paying attention, and is drawing a sharp line when it comes to a recent clemency appeal from former Army Sergeant Bowe Bergdahl.
In a letter signed by Rep. Byrne and 27 other House Republicans calls on the president to deny a pardon to Bergdahl, who allegedly deserted his post in the Army and was held captive by the Taliban for five years.
“Our message to President Obama is clear: do not pardon Bowe Bergdahl,” Byrne said. “A pardon would be a slap in the face to all of our nation’s service members who put their lives on the line each and every day. Instead, we need to let the court martial process play out in accord with the Uniform Code of Military Justice.”
Byrne and his colleagues argue that the disgraced former Sergeant should- as planned- face a general court-martial on charges of desertion and misbehavior before the enemy. They argue that his actions put other members of the armed forces in harms way, including those who were sent on rescue missions.
“The military justice system serves similar objectives as our nations criminal law, namely to discover the truth, acquit the innocent, and punish the guilty for their crimes,” the letter says. “Given the sacrifice of our soldiers involved in this incident and the steep price our country paid for his release, these functions are vitally important to ensuring that justice is served.”
Other Alabama House members to sign on to the letter include Representatives Robert Aderholt, Mo Brooks, and Martha Roby.
Reportedly, Bergdahl’s team will not seek clemency from President-Elect Donald Trump, should Obama deny the request. Makes sense, considering that Trump once stated that he believed the Army Sergeant should be executed for his offenses.
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