I’m sipping my coffee and reading about this US airman, Maj. Jason Watson, who’s been making headlines for all the wrong reasons. Apparently, he was arrested not once, but twice, for protesting on the steps of the US Capitol and calling for the impeachment of President Donald Trump. I mean, folks, you’ve got to admire his dedication to his cause, even if it’s not exactly the most conventional way to express himself. Now, he’s facing a slew of charges under the Uniform Code of Military Justice, including three violations of Article 88 for allegedly making “contemptuous” remarks about Trump. Yeah, because that’s exactly what you want to do when you’re a military officer – criticize the Commander-in-Chief.
I’m looking at the list of charges against Watson, and it’s pretty lengthy. He’s got five violations of Article 92 for allegedly disobeying orders, and two violations of Article 133 for conduct unbecoming an officer. I’m no expert, but it seems like he might have been a bit of a rebel without a cause. Or maybe he just really doesn’t like Trump – who knows? The point is, he’s in trouble now, and it’ll be interesting to see how this all plays out.
The Air Force Secretary, Troy Meink, has been pretty clear about expecting all airmen to follow the rules and respect the chain of command. He said, “Americans place their trust in us. We cannot, and will not, compromise the trust of the nation.” That’s all well and good, but it’s not like Watson was just some low-ranking enlisted guy who didn’t know any better. He’s a major, for crying out loud! You’d think he’d know how to navigate the system a bit better.
It turns out that Watson’s attorney, Chris Mutimer, says his client is being held in “pre-trial confinement” – which is basically like being denied bond in civilian court. Mutimer told CNN that Watson is “basically in solitary confinement for his safety.” I’m not sure what’s more surprising, the fact that Watson is in solitary or the fact that his attorney is using that phrase to describe it. Either way, it’s clear that this guy is in a bit of a pickle.
The charges against Watson are pretty serious, and it’s not like he’s the first person to ever get in trouble for speaking out against a president. There have been a few cases in the past where military personnel have been convicted of “contempt of officials” under Article 88. For example, back in 1965, an Army lieutenant was convicted of this charge after participating in a protest against the Vietnam War. And in 2021, a Marine Corps lieutenant colonel pleaded guilty to contempt of officials and other charges after criticizing the Biden administration’s handling of the withdrawal from Afghanistan.
It’s worth noting that the standard for “contemptuous” words is a bit fuzzy, even for military judges and panel members. Frank Rosenblatt, a retired Army judge advocate, told CNN that the guidance on this is “less than precise.” He said that “contemptuous” remarks have to be “insulting, rude, and disdainful conduct, or otherwise disrespectfully attributing to another a quality of meanness, disreputableness, or worthlessness.” Yeah, that clears things up – not.
In any case, Watson’s case is still ongoing, and it’s not clear whether it’ll be referred to trial or what kind of court-martial he’ll face if it is. The Air Force hasn’t commented on the case yet, but I’m sure they will eventually. In the meantime, Watson is just sitting in confinement, waiting to see what happens next.
As I finish up my coffee and wrap up this article, I have to say that I’m a bit amused by the whole situation. I mean, who gets arrested twice for protesting on the steps of the Capitol? Only in America, right? Anyway, it’ll be interesting to see how this all plays out, and I’m sure we’ll be hearing more about Maj. Jason Watson in the coming weeks. Until then, I’ll just be over here, sipping my coffee and shaking my head at the latest antics from our nation’s capital.
Armchair patriot. Believes in the free market, cold beer, and that there’s always a guy named George behind every CNN segment.
Former remote-throwing champion turned #1 couch commentator on liberal panic in the media. Born in Texas (or so his mug says), he earned a degree in Fake Newsology & Beer Philosophy from YouTube University.
