One Congressman Spoke Up for Major Watson. Where Are the Rest of You?

Dear Members of Congress, Air Force Major Jason Watson has now been detained twice. He was arrested July 1st on the steps of the United States Capitol calling for the impeachment of President Trump. He was placed under a gag order. He spoke anyway — on CNN, on August 17th — and was ordered into pretrial confinement the very next day. His crime, as far as anyone can tell: refusing to wear his uniform. And saying out loud what millions of Americans believe. He has not been formally charged. The Air Force will not say what specific misconduct he committed. His attorney expects charges under Articles 88 and 92 of the UCMJ — contempt toward officials and failure to obey orders — that could result in significant jail time, court martial, and discharge after more than two decades of service to this country. One member of Congress — one — has spoken out publicly. Congressman Al Green, who stood beside Major Watson on the Capitol steps on July 1st, called him a man who dedicated his life to defending the Constitution. Where is everyone else? This is a decorated officer who looked directly at the consequences — his career, his pension, his freedom — and chose conscience over comfort. He was gagged. He spoke anyway. He was detained. He has not been charged. He sits in a county facility in Maryland on a military hold while this administration decides what to do with a man whose only weapon was his voice. If Congress will not speak for him, who will? We are demanding that every member of Congress speak out publicly about Major Watson’s detention, call for transparency from the Air Force about the specific charges being used to justify his confinement, and introduce legislation protecting military whistleblowers who report constitutional violations through lawful channels. He served this country for over two decades. He is being silenced for telling the truth. Your silence makes you complicit in that silencing. Respectfully — and with fury,