Lawmakers Seek Dismissal Of US Navy Secretary For Firing Aircraft Carrier Captain - Letter

WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 07th April, 2020) Acting Secretary of the US Navy Thomas Modly needs to be fired for dismissing the Capt. Brett Crozier of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19)-infected Theodore Roosevelt aircraft carrier in a fit of anger, punctuated with insults directed at Crozier before the vessel's entire crew, instead of dealing with the vessel in a mature manner expected of civilian military leaders during national crisis, Congressmen Ted Lieu and Ruben Gallego wrote in a letter to Defense Secretary Mark Esper.

"During this difficult time for our nation, we need steady, calm leadership. Acting Secretary Modly has shown exactly the opposite. He hastily fired Capt. Crozier before an investigation was started into all the facts and circumstances; he made inflammatory comments about a highly decorated commander; and he leveled the insults before the sailors that worked for Capt. Crozier at a time when Capt. Crozier is himself fighting COVID-19," the letter said.

According to the lawmakers, Modly flew to the aircraft carrier to conduct the firing in person, where he lambasted Crozier in front of the entire crew as "too naïve or too stupid to be a commanding officer," according to a leaked copy of Modly's speech cited by the lawmakers.

Modly has defended the firing, claiming the captain operated outside of the chain of command and has been backed up by both Esper and President Donald Trump in public statements.