U.S. Congressman Matt Gaetz (FL-01) today sent a letter to Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall, requesting an explanation for the leadership of Minot Air Force Base (AFB) telling service members that attending a local event with a speaker from the conservative group Turning Point Action would jeopardize their military careers.
As the Tampa Free Press reported, leaders at Minot Air Force Base last week advised troops to avoid the pro-Trump “Dakota Patriot Rally.” The event, scheduled for Nov. 17, was to be headlined by Tyler Bowyer, chief operating officer for the conservative group Turning Point Action.
The advisory to airmen at Minot AFB urged caution and warned that rally-goers could be “confrontational” to military personnel since Turning Point, according to them, was an “alt-right” group. The advisory also said troops who attended the rally could face consequences for their careers.
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The text then specifically said the warning was based on the possible appearance of a guest speaker from the conservative group Turning Point Action, which the Minot AFB leaders labeled an “alt-right” organization.
The message then warned that “participation with groups such as Turning Point Action could jeopardize their continued service in the U.S. military.”
The message then suggested that a “shooting incident” in Minot the day before the text was sent may be attributable to the rally.
The speaker that Minot AFB commanders found so troubling was Turning Point Action Chief Operating Officer Tyler Bowyer.
On Tuesday, Gaetz requested information be provided to his office to shed light on the decision-making process that led to this “political bias and infringement on the constitutional rights of service members.”
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“I write to express grave concern regarding brazen partisan comments made by the command at Minot Air Force Base (AFB) in North Dakota. As reported by American Military News, the leadership at Minot AFB sent a series of messages to service members to warn them of the dangers of being at or near a downtown rally that featured a speaker from Turning Point Action, which leadership claimed was an “alt-right organization,” Gaetz said in his letter.”
“You are obligated to intervene, as this series of actions demonstrates a clear misapplication of the Hatch Act, which states members on active duty should not engage in political activities while in uniform to avoid creating the appearance that their political activities imply official Department of Defense (DoD) sponsorship, approval or endorsement of a candidate, campaign or cause. The Dakota Patriot Rally in Minot, North Dakota, on November 17, 2023, took place after work hours and, to my knowledge, not on federal property; thus, the text messages and emails from command show a growing politicization at installations within the Department of the Air Force (DAF), favoring one political party or political view,” said Gaetz.
Gaetz demands that the DAF respond by December 7, 2023, and answer the following:
- Who, specifically, at Minot AFB or elsewhere approved or issued these messages to the base’s service members? I formally request the name, rank, and duty station for anyone connected to these messages.
- What specific policies within the DAF forbid participation or assembly in political causes while off duty and while not representing the service?
- What was the reasoning for determining participation in the Dakota Patriot Rally could jeopardize a service member’s continued service in the U.S. military, and who made this determination?
- What specific actions will the DAF take to ensure service members’ constitutional rights are not violated in the future?
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