Anchorage, Alaska - On Friday, the narrowly Democrat-controlled US Senate confirmed President Bush's promotion of Major General Charles Jacoby, Commander of US Army Alaska, to Lieutenant General and his nomination to Commander of Fort Lewis Washington and I Corp. LTG Jacoby is a controversial Army general, known as the Bush Administration's "Afghanistan cover-up general" for writing a still classified report about human rights abuses at a US prison in Afghanistan.
John R. Mitchell is a disabled 14-year Army veteran that returned to work in 2004 as a civilian in the Ft Richardson Alaska Command Center, in an effort to do his part for the War on Terror. A year later, Mr. Mitchell also had the distinction of having been made disabled twice by the US Army: once in uniform and once as a civilian employee.
Mitchell says, "The fact that the Senate confirmed Bush's promotion of LTG Jacoby without completely investigating the alleged abuse of a 100% disabled veteran on his watch is doubling disturbing over this Memorial Day weekend. President Bush has given nothing but lip service to soldiers and veterans since the start of this war, now the Democrats elected to stop these abuses are enabling Bush."
In November, 2005 Mitchell filed a Civil Rights suit against the US Army Alaska. US Senator Ted Stevens' legislative aide, Jim Egan gave Mitchell assurances that Jacoby's chief of staff, Hazen Baron had instructed Command Center staff to avoid any contact with Mitchell. However, on February 17, 2007 another Command Center employee, Tony Erne assaulted John Mitchell from behind as he shopped in a local store with his fiancé. Mitchell alleges that LTG Jacoby condoned the assault in order to disrupt the Civil Rights suit against his Alaskan command.
Erne then called the Anchorage Police Dept and filed a phony report that the disabled veteran Mitchell had assaulted him and brandished a weapon. Both of these accusations are false, and Mitchell believes he knows why that became possible. Because the senior APD Officer first on the scene, Dennis Gum also happens to be a Military Intelligence LT Colonel under Jacoby's command in Alaska.
Alaska's 'Patriot Act' US Attorney Nelson Cohen has been asked to open a Criminal Civil Rights investigation into the assault and the military connections surrounding the subsequent cover-up of the true nature and intention of those involved. Ironically, it is also a federal crime of violating civil rights in order to disrupt a federal lawsuit.
Sen. Carl Levin presented the nomination to the floor without a printed report and it was approved rapidly by a voice vote this past Friday. The change of Command ceremony is scheduled for this Thursday in Alaska at 11AM.
Speaking from his home outside Anchorage , John Mitchell expressed his disappointment at the Democrats confirming Bush's nomination without investigating why LTG Charles Jacoby allegedly condones violence by those under his command and the effort to circumvent the justice system. Mitchell runs a website, MakeTheArmyHonest.Com that promotes awareness of his case.
"Americans voted for Democrats this past November because they are tired of the incompetence and corruption in how the Bush Administration has handled this war. I notified the Armed Services Committee the day Bush nominated Jacoby for his third star about his questionable domestic activities and was assured by the nominations clerk, Leah Brewer that a thorough investigation would be done. When are Democrats going to stop rubberstamping Bush?"
Now it is a Patriot Act appointee, US Attorney Nelson Cohen's chance to right a wrong. Is he going to open that criminal Civil Rights investigation into the assault of Mr. Mitchell by the US Army in Alaska?
Read about the case here:
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