Vindman, Sondland and Yovanovitch got what they deserved

I am not a mean-spirited person.  I have never hated a person in my whole life.  I do not wish ill-will on others.  If that headline seems to be inconsistent with my self-proclaimed character, allow me to explain.

The first thing to remember is that all these characters work “at the pleasure of the President.” No matter what one may think of President Trump’s personality – and I have been a constant critic – he had every reason in the world to be displeased with Lt. Colonel Alexander Vindman and European Union Ambassador Gordon Sondland.

Their cases are quite different. Sondland is not a career diplomat – and even if he was, it would make no difference.  Ambassadors are appointed by the President and  can be removed by the President for any reason at any time.  The establishment bureaucrats – who seem to think that a President works for them – argue that every portion of the Executive Branch outside of the White House grounds are autonomous agencies of government over which a President has very limited power.  Au contraire.

Vindman is a bit of a different case because he is a member of the Armed Forces.  He can be resigned while remaining in the military – which is exactly what happened to him.  He will be a pencil-pusher at the Pentagon  without reduction in rank or pay should he choose to remain on active duty.  Hardly the fate of a person the press contends is the victim of retaliation and revenge.

Although much of the media used the word “fired” – as they did with Ambassador Marie Yovanovitch — neither were put out on the streets Jovanovich retained her government grade level and salary and will by continuing in their chosen careers in rather comfy government jobs.  She was simply reassigned.

All three of these folks disobeyed Trump’s order to not testify – to ignore any Congressional subpoenas issued by the Democrats in Congress. They chose to voluntarily testify against the President.  Some argue that Trump’s order was illegal and unconstitutional, but that was never decided by the Supreme Count – that other co-equal branch of government that Democrats like to ignore.

Vindman, Sondland and Yovanovitch all disobeyed Trump’s order without knowing whether it was a legitimate order or not.  That question is still unanswered but is most certainly not in the purview of those three to make that judgment.

Vindman may have a unique problem since he is a member of the military and Trump is the Commander-in -Chief.  Arguably, Vindman disobeyed a direct order.  Soldiers can do that but only if the order is CLEARLY illegal according to the rules of military justice – and even then, they have to take the issue up the command.

In the case of Vindman and Yovanovitch there is some evidence that they were actually undermining the President because of significant and politically biased opposition to his policies as President.  It seems increasingly likely that Vindman and his brother knew and talked to the whistleblower.  If that is true, Vindman committed an egregious violation of national security.  President-to-President conversations are highly classified.

In the case of Yovanovitch, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelinsky expressed his displeasure with her – saying she had been working against his campaign for the presidency.  The removal of Yovanovitch was reciprocal – since Zelinsky advised Trump that he was replacing the Ukrainian ambassador to the United States.  That is often what happens when a new head-of-state arrives on the scene.

All of that can be – and should be – investigated more fully.  But regardless, Trump has every reason to not trust these folks to pursue his policies in the future.  Even their most ardent defender would have trouble convincing anyone that these folks are a positive part of the President’s team – as any President has a right to expect.  When they chose to go public in support of a failed impeachment, they – not Trump – sealed their fate.

They had another more honorable recourse – resign or seek a reassignment.  That is the proper course of action – not undermining or sabotaging policies with which you do not agree.  At the point that happens is when the civil service corps become the deep state resistance movement.

Trump has done what any good executive would do – make sure he or she has his or her team in place.  Elections have consequences – and that is one of the most fundamental consequences.

So, there ‘tis.

 

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17 Thoughts to “Vindman, Sondland and Yovanovitch got what they deserved”

  1. Ralph A. Hunt

    Curious to know; “How would the offense be dealt with under the Uniform Code of Military Justice? It would appear that when there are no consequences to alleged undue and unlawful conduct, can there be any discipline, or does it matter to the progressives?

  2. AMERICANS WE HAVE TO TAKE BACK OUR AMERICA FROM THE EVIL CRIMINAL ACTS OF DEMOCRATS………………………..TO SOLVE AMERICAS PROBLEMS MAKE THIS CHOICE WE THE PEOPLE’ HAVE THE POWER OF OUR VOICES AND OUR VOTES, TO VOTE OUT THE ENTIRE LYING,CORRUPT, TREASONOUS DEMOCRAT PARTY COME NOV 2020, VOTE TO MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN AND TO END ALL CORRUPTIONS IN WASHINGTON GOVERNMENT

  3. Dennis

    Very well explained.

  4. TheTruthWillSetYouFree

    I applaud you for your article. It is honest and straight forward. No president wants to have spies or traitors on their team, it is unproductive and makes the team suspicious of the others and fearful to talk openly and honestly with their Commander in Cheif. Sadly Trump held onto too many people who were from other Democratic presidents and it cost him precious time and exhausting effort to stand up for himself taking away the time he could have been doing more great things for we the people. Not that the democratic congress was going to work with him regardless. I applaud our president for all he has still managed to accomplish with all of this pressure that has been forced at him. It shows his real character and his true love for God, country and we the people of this great land.

  5. Craig Northacker

    Stated succinctly. Thank you for explaining that others may understand. LTC Vindman should be disciplined for violation of national security, disobeying a direct order and conduct unbecoming an officer. Letting him skate sets a serious and poisonous precedent otherwise. This is from an old NCO, a CPA who has testified in courts and in government bodies – an old CPA who believes facts are fundamental to justice. Those who failed to heed this admonition have disgraced their positions during the recent Congressional proceedings and undermined our country on a number of levels. They should also be brought to true justice, Our country deserves no less.

  6. Michael Rodriguez

    No the truth has to matter. No one is above the law.

  7. Who cares

    I believe that just reassignment of the military member Vindman was really a soft punishment and could have been worse and the others are lucky they are not in jail. Well all of them

  8. Getting rid of these anti-American people is a blessing!

  9. No matter how you twist the words and illogic, your defense of this corrupt president is not acceptable!!!!

  10. Roger Burken

    Your twisted illogic defense of this corrupt president is unacceptable!!!!

  11. The next president should present Mr. Vindman, Mr. Sondland and the great Ms. Yovanovitch with the Medal of Freedom. They proved to be brave and patriotic Americans. A national holiday could also be created to honor these Americans.

  12. I don’t “hate” them either, but I think that they were traitors to their sworn jobs, and as such should be punished. This article is correct in saying that they weren’t really fired, just re-assigned. The could have gotten prison time for what they did. If this was a President like say, Dwight D, Eisenhower, they would have been court martialed and sent to prison or as in former times, taken out and shot as traitors to this country and it’s President. I would call what Vindman did, spying.

  13. Ben kelly

    What a bunch of BUllshit this man spews…… These people did what they wee supposed to do and that is report something that seemed terrribly wrong – no matter it was the president doing it – their oath is not to the president its to the constitution of the united states. you sir are a traitor to our country.

  14. Frank S.

    As a retired Lt Col (USAF) myself, I can say with certainly that if I’d done what Vindman did, my bags would be packed, either for a new assignment (best case), or for my jail cell at Leavenworth after my court-martial (worst case). His participation in the sham impeachment is outrageous! As I understand it, his immediate superior was in on “the call” but had no problem with it. Clearly Vindman has a higher opinion of himself than he’s entitled to. We all got medals–I got tons of ’em too…doesn’t make anyone more “privileged” than another when it comes to right and wrong. Now he moves to another “cush” job, this time at the Pentagon. Poor, poor fella….

  15. Joe

    Absolutely correct! Trump needs team members that have his back.

  16. I.R. Heller

    So why is nobody thinking of checking out why they are traitirs, WHO PAID them to be traitors?

  17. The only problem about this whole thing is I wish Pres Trump had followed the ‘great’ Obama’s example and handed out pink slips to EVERYBODY before he even took office!! Never seems to pay trying to give the opposing side an fair chance.

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