30Apr
“This Was a Shameful and Undemocratic Political Theater that Threatens the Safety of Our Troops”
WASHINGTON, DC — Today, Common Defense, a grassroots veterans organization, unequivocally condemns Senator Tim Sheehy’s (R-MT) actions. The Senator left his seat at a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing, crossed the chamber floor, and physically grabbed Brian McGinnis — a Marine veteran not affiliated with Common Defense — contributing to breaking his hand in the process. Let that sink in: a sitting U.S. Senator put his hands on a Marine for speaking out against endless war.
In response, Jose Vasquez, Common Defense’s Executive Director and Army Vet, said:
“This is an abuse of power, plain and simple. The First Amendment doesn’t disappear inside the halls of Congress. Brian McGinnis wore the uniform, took the oath, and earned every right to raise his voice against a war that no one voted for. Sen. Sheehy, a veteran himself, should know better.
“At Common Defense, we train veterans to organize, to protest, and to hold power accountable. That’s not radicalism. That’s the oath in action. We’ve seen what forever wars cost: in lives, in limbs, and in taxpayer dollars. When veterans dare to say “enough,” they deserve protection, not broken bones.
“Senator Sheehy owes Brian McGinnis an apology, and there should be an investigation into his violent actions against a veteran exercising his constitutionally protected rights—ones he fought for. And Trump and his supporters owe the American people answers and transparency as to why they launched another war without their consent.”
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Common Defense Civic Engagement (501c4) (CDCE) is a grassroots, veteran-led organization that was founded in 2016. We empower veterans to stand up for our communities against the rising tide of racism, hate, and violence, to organize against the entrenched powers that have rigged our economy, and to champion an equitable and representative democracy, where “liberty and justice” truly is for all. For too long, politicians from both political parties have attempted to use veterans as unwilling political props, and Common Defense serves as a home for veterans to organize and speak for themselves and support the candidates who truly share our values.