February 07, 2020

Duckworth Responds to the Retaliatory Firing of Lt. Col. Vindman

 

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – Combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), a Purple Heart recipient and member of the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC), issued the following statement after Lt. Col. Vindman, a top Ukraine expert at the National Security Council (NSC) who testified during the U.S. House impeachment inquiry into President Donald Trump, was escorted out of the White House earlier today. Vindman testified before the House in November under subpoena and told members he had concerns about what he overheard on the call between President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

“Lt. Col. Vindman is a patriot and Purple Heart recipient who was willing to testify, under oath, and fight for both our nation as well as our Constitution,” said Senator Duckworth. “Donald Trump is a coward who has never served anything but his own interests, and he is not fit to be Commander in Chief of any American who is willing to sacrifice in uniform for the rest of us. Every Senate Republican, except one, sent Donald Trump a clear message this week: that you can abuse the power of your office and we will protect you. We’re now living with the consequences as an emboldened Trump feels free to punish anyone who would stand up to his illegal actions by doing the most American thing anyone can do: speaking out for what is right.”

Senator Tammy Duckworth was awarded a Purple Heart after an RPG hit a Black Hawk helicopter she was flying in 2004. Lt. Col. Vindman was awarded a Purple Heart in 2014 after his vehicle was hit by an improvised explosive device (IED) in Iraq.

-30-