Statement from NOW President Toni Van Pelt:
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The fix is in to elevate General John E. Hyten to be vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the military’s second highest position, despite credible accusations of sexual assault made by an officer under his command. Col. Kathryn Spletstoser has told investigators and the media about Gen. Hyten’s repeated sexual advances, but she is not being allowed to testify at Hyten’s confirmation hearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee today.
The U.S. Senate proved during the Brett Kavanaugh hearings that it has no interest in investigating charges of sexual assault against Trump’s nominees and feels no responsibility to defend a woman’s right to a safe workplace, or to hold accountable predatory men who treat women as sex objects. What’s more, this case exemplifies the need to remove these investigations from the military chain of command. This administration continues to exemplify a toxic culture of powerful men protecting other men – and those who continue to abuse their positions of power. We need to end the culture of sexual abuse, criminality and cover-up. Justice has been denied too long for survivors like Col. Spletstoser. NOW calls on the Armed Services Committee to let Kathryn Spletstoser testify, and to reject Gen. Hyten’s nomination. Enough is enough.
Contact
Kimberly Hayes, Press Secretary, press@now.org, 202-570-4745