Current Events > Rep. Gallego, prior Marine, says vets who stormed capitol, should be stripped o

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https://www.stripes.com/news/us/congressman-calls-for-service-members-veterans-who-stormed-the-capitol-to-be-stripped-of-benefits-1.666505

Rep. Ruben Gallego, a Marine Corps combat veteran, is calling on Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary Denis McDonough and other top officials to strip benefits from active-duty service members, veterans and military retirees who took part in the deadly siege of the Capitol.
Many of the veterans and service members who attacked their own government actively and enthusiastically enjoy special benefits given to them by their fellow citizens, Gallego, D-Ariz., wrote to McDonough in a letter dated March 18.
This situation is unjust. Any veteran or service member who stormed the Capitol on Jan. 6 forfeited their moral entitlement to privileged benefits at the expense of the people of the United States, wrote Gallego, a member of the House Armed Services Committee.
Benefits afforded by the VA include disability compensation, educational benefits, access to health care, employment opportunities and access to veteran-affiliated state programs.
Gallego sent a second, nearly identical letter to Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, as well as a third letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland.
An NPR analysis in January found about 20% of the people who were charged in the riot, so far, had some form of military history, including those who are now serving in the military or had served in the past.
Court documents obtained by CBS News this week said federal prosecutors have now charged at least 312 people in connection with the Jan. 6 riot at the Capitol. A court filing March 12 said about 100 more are still expected to be charged, the news outlet reported.
Gallego said he wants McDonough to work with the attorney general as well as other department leaders to determine which veterans participated in the Jan. 6 insurrection.
The lawmaker told McDonough to use your discretion as the secretary to immediately withdraw these veterans benefits I am confident that you can find satisfactory evidence to do so as required under 38 U.S. Code 6104.
Title 38 of the U.S. code governs VA benefits for veterans and their dependents, according to a brief from the Congressional Research Service.
Under Sections 6104 and 6105, veterans and other individuals receiving VA benefits who commit mutiny or treason or who are convicted of subversive activities, as listed in Section 6105(b), forfeit their right to VA benefits, according to the CRS report.
In Gallegos letter to Austin and Mayorkas, he requested they quickly identify, investigate and prosecute any active service member or retiree who participated in the attack.
The department leaders should also notify McDonough of the identities of those people, which would require the VA secretary to stop distributing benefits under the U.S. code.
In the letter to Garland, the lawmaker told the attorney general to provide McDonough a list of veterans who participated in the siege.
Insurrectionists should not enjoy benefits they no longer deserve, Gallego wrote.

They deserve to be labeled as treasonous traitors to the United States and dealt with accordingly.

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Yes, if convicted.

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of benefits? of freedom.

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I voted yes if convicted, but I'll have to be honest that I don't love the idea of stripping somebody of their healthcare based on a criminal conviction, especially if we as a nation are trying to push towards some kind of universal coverage.

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Medussa posted...

of benefits? of freedom.

Of their clothes.

s0nicfan posted...

I voted yes if convicted, but I'll have to be honest that I don't love the idea of stripping somebody of their healthcare based on a criminal conviction, especially if we as a nation are trying to push towards some kind of universal coverage.

See I'm not bothered by it in this case because I think they should be stripped of their right to further breaths, at least within the confines of the United States.

*shrugs*

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They should be hung for sedition.

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They are treasonous traitors who betrayed their country by committing acts of treason.
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I'm not a fan of this. They dedicated years of their life to get these benefits. I don't like the idea of stripping this away regardless of the circumstances.
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Do we allow benefits to traitors?

What_ posted...

Do we allow benefits to traitors?

Even the people on death row get healthcare, so yes.

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Cucumber21 posted...

I'm not a fan of this. They dedicated years of their life to get these benefits. I don't like the idea of stripping this away regardless of the circumstances.

If they're convicted of committing acts that fly in the face of defending the country, which was the job they signed on to do and are receiving benefits as a result of that service, then don't you think they've forfeited those rights? I believe they deserve their day in court before being stripped of anything.

s0nicfan posted...

Even the people on death row get healthcare, so yes.

Okay, so they will get the same healthcare as any other prison inmate.

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I was gonna be all "I wonder what @wackyteen thinks and then I realized it's your topic lmao

totally agree, treason doesn't belong in America.

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s0nicfan posted...

Even the people on death row get healthcare, so yes.

Thats not the same thing stop lying

Cucumber21 posted...

I'm not a fan of this. They dedicated years of their life to get these benefits. I don't like the idea of stripping this away regardless of the circumstances.

They dedicated years of their lives to defending their country and serving their president. They should get their benefits taken away for attacking the senate and endangering the president-elect.

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Yes. They didnt want to follow the rule of the nation, why should they benefit from it?

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Revnir posted...

If you attack the capitol you literally are an insurrectionist. That makes you an enemy combattant. I don't think the government should be paying benefit to someone who fought against them in an attempted rebellion.

Yep we execute traitors we dont hug them

Did we give any VA benefits to the confederates?

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Zero_Destroyer posted...

Yes, if convicted.

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Tyranthraxus posted...

Did we give any VA benefits to the confederates?

I hope not

fucking cowards

Ah stripes newspaper. Had many fond memories in japan with that newspaper.

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