'Your answers today are unsatisfactory': Gillibrand rips into general over Marine nude photo scandal

Rss@dailykos.com (gabe Ortiz) · Monday, March 20, 2017, 10:26 pm

In case you missed this incredible exchange from earlier this week: Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) ripped into Marine Corps. Commandant Gen. Robert Neller during a Senate Armed Services committee hearing, following ongoing news of male Marines sharing images of female Marines "in various states of undress” in a Facebook group containing thousands of members.

As writer and activist Melissa McEwan notes, four years ago Sen. Gillibrand “introduced legislation to enforce meaningful accountability for the epidemic of sexual assault in the U.S. military, by ‘transferring sex crimes from the watch and authority of military brass and instead funneling such cases to independent military prosecutors.’”

But four years later, women in the military are still getting sexually harassed and exploited by their male colleagues. During the hearing Tuesday, Sen. Gillibrand demanded to know why, four years later, nothing has changed, why no one in command has been held responsible, and when women in the military will get justice.

I have to say, when you say to us, "It's got to be different," that rings hollow. I don't know what you mean when you say that. Why does it have to be different—because you all of a sudden feel that it has to be different? Who has been held accountable?

I very much align myself with Senator Fischer's comments: Who has been held responsible?! Have you actually investigated and found guilty anybody?! If we can't crack Facebook, how are we supposed to be able to confront Russian aggression and cyber-hacking throughout our military?

It is a serious problem, when we have members of our military denigrating female Marines who will give their life to this country, in the way they have, with no response from leadership. I can tell you: Your answers today are unsatisfactory. They do not go far enough. And I would like to know what you intend to do to the commanders who are responsible for good order and discipline. [...]

Where's the accountability for failure?! Who is being held accountable for doing nothing since 2013?! Who? Which commander? I am very concerned that this is part of a culture that is resulting in the high levels of sexual assault.

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