Don’t Confirm Anthony Tata, A Conspiracy Theorist Who Will Misuse Our Military

One thing that separates America from so many other nations is our firm belief in an apolitical military that must not be used against our own people. That principle is actively being undermined by the Trump administration, and real American patriots need to defend it rather than enabling its destruction. Anthony Tata, Trump’s nominee as Undersecretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness, has fully endorsed the abuse of our military as a political weapon. He backed a political purge of generals during his own confirmation hearing and called for the suspension of posse comitatus and using our troops as domestic law enforcement. This is not a man who respects the values that have preserved our democracy. Furthermore, Tata has a long record of bigotry and extremism, along with a history of spreading conspiracy theories wildly out of touch with reality. He spread the birther lies about President Obama and accused him of being a “terrorist leader,” and claimed a former CIA director had ordered the assassination of Donald Trump. He has repeatedly made his racist and Islamophobic views clear, and dismantled desegregation efforts as a school superintendent, with multiple civil rights complaints following. A bipartisan group of senators blocked Tata from serving in a top Pentagon job five years ago, and he’s only given us more reason to draw the line since. Please oppose Anthony Tata’s confirmation.