Once President-elect Biden takes office, I’d like to see him offer to reinstate Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Vindman and his twin brother, Lt. Col. Yevgeny Vindman. You’ll recall that they both worked for the National Security Council (NSC) and were both fired from the NSC by Trump in February 2020 in retaliation for Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman’s testimony given during the House impeachment hearings in the fall of 2019 (see Stars and Stripes article). Even if they decide not to return to their former positions and don’t accept, I think the gesture would go a long way in showing how to treat people respectfully as well as acknowledging and valuing the bravery Lt. Col. Vindman demonstrated when he put the good of our country above political pressure and his own livelihood by testifying to Trump’s abuse of power through extortion.
It would recognize their years of distinguished military service and be a reminder that Trump harbored none of these qualities, setting the tone for a decidedly different type of leadership. The country is in need of, and will greatly appreciate, a decent leader such as Biden.
Of course, I realize there are so many pressing issues to address once Biden takes office: DACA/immigration/border wall, rejoin the WHO and the UN Human Rights Council, racial equality/income equality/gender equality, foreign policy, healthcare, climate change/environmental protection/rejoin the Paris Accord, pandemic control/relief/testing/vaccination, voting rights, tax reform, gun control, public education funding/elimination of tax dollar support for religious schools/student loan debt, Supreme Court injustice, campaign finance reform, smart farm subsidies/agricultural industry support/childcare industry support, restoration of an independent inspector general network, reverse Trump’s executive order authorizing punishment of anyone involved with the International Criminal Court, the list goes on and will include whatever the vindictive lame duck contrives on his way out.
Trump was impeached for criminal offenses (abuse of the power of his office by attempting to extort the President of Ukraine and obstruction of justice). He never even should have been running for a second term. The enablers of his re-election bid were all corrupt. I am hopeful that, without the office of the presidency acting as a platform for his lies, Trump will fade into oblivion and be footnoted as a felon first and foremost. His treatment of the Vindmans was a disgrace as was so much of his time in office. This small gesture toward the Vindmans would have a personal touch that no one could argue with, a rarity in this day and age.
Impeachment Chronicle ~ Constituent Letters by HHallett is available.