Declaring, “I believe in America, I believe in us,” an active duty Air Force major was arrested Wednesday for a non-violent act of civil disobedience after he publicly called for Trump to be impeached, removed and convicted for his scores of impeachable offenses. Citing the “foundational oath” he took to defend the country “against all enemies foreign and domestic” – most vitally a lawless president – Major Jason Watson insisted, finally, “The bill must come due.”
Watson’s action came after a press conference with advocacy groups including About Face Veterans, Defenders of Our Republic, Removal Coalition, its newly launched Remove the Regime, and Free Speech For People, which has gathered over a million signatures urging Congress to initiate impeachment proceedings against Trump for his hundreds of crimes. Also present was Rep. Al Green, the only member of Congress to have filed impeachment articles. Declaring this “an existential moment for our nation,” Free Speech president John Bonifaz praised Major Watson for “the kind of courage our democracy demands (in) stark contrast to those who continue to look away as President Trump commits unprecedented abuses of power.”
Watson introduced himself by citing his 17-year career in the military before swiftly adding, “Who I am is immaterial. In the grand scheme of things I’m a nobody. What’s more important is what I have to say, and the price I’m willing to pay to say it.” Thanking allies “working to restore responsible governance to our country,” he repeated the “foundational” oath he first swore over 20 years ago, and has since repeated “many times since,” to “support and defend the Constitution of the United States,” which “binds us all together as Americans.” We have all “played a part in getting us into this mess,” he added, but undeniably “the burden of culpability” falls most heavily on the executive branch, “and the bill must come due.”
Matter-of-factly, he offered a hefty list of high crimes and misdemeanors: The “unconstitutional usurpation of Congress’ authority” with military action against foreign countries, absent the requisite emergency scenario, in Venezuela, Cuba, Iran; the granting of power to an unelected person to shut down large swaths of the government; the detaining and sending of residents without due process to a foreign country; the abuse and murder of those exercising their First Amendment rights, etc etc. After each, he added, “For this, the president and vice-president must be impeached convicted, and removed.” He was there not as a Democrat – “I am not a Democrat” – but to call on Americans to peacefully “join me in the defense of our republic.”
Video of his speech then briefly cuts out; when it returns, he is walking slowly, deliberately, toward the Capitol steps, an area that is open to the public but where protest is prohibited. Several Capitol Police stand to the side, nervously watching. In somber, lonesome silence, he climbs the stairs; mid-way, he stops and holds up a sign that reads, “Impeach. Convict. Remove.” The watching crowd cheers. After a brief huddle, a couple of officers arrest him. As he is led away, his hands cuffed behind him, his dignity intact, the crowd breaks into chants of “Shame!” and, “Who do you serve? Who do you protect?” Excellent questions. We, and many many weary, grieving, enraged Americans, salute him.
This content originally appeared on Common Dreams and was authored by Abby Zimet.