Sen. Richard Blumenthal asserted that former acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan was potentially involved in a criminal cover-up for failing to disclose an alleged domestic violence incident before his nomination as the permanent secretary of defense.
“I feel that there was possibly a deliberate concealment here,” Blumenthal said Tuesday after Shanahan resigned when it was revealed that he was involved in a 2010 violent domestic dispute with his ex-wife. “I think there ought to be an investigation by the IG and the Department of Defense. There is absolutely no reason for the failure to disclose to the Arms Services Committee as a part of our process that there was something in this nominees past, Patrick Shanahan’s past, that was deliberately concealed or mistakenly covered up.”
“The nominee was under an obligation to reveal it himself, and this is potentially a violation of criminal law because lying to the Armed Services Committee, not to mention the president if he failed to mention it there, is a violation of criminal law.”
Democrats on Shanahan. I asked about vetting process since senators confirmed him for Deputy SecDef in 2017. @SenBlumenthal says there may be a criminal coverup. Watch. pic.twitter.com/zmQb69Ftyg
— Kelly O’Donnell (@KellyO) June 18, 2019
President Trump announced Tuesday that acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan had stepped down from his position and withdrawn from consideration to be the permanent head of the Pentagon.
“Acting Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan, who has done a wonderful job, has decided not to go forward with his confirmation process so that he can devote more time to his family,” Trump tweeted. “I thank Pat for his outstanding service and will be naming Secretary of the Army, Mark Esper, to be the new Acting Secretary of Defense. I know Mark, and have no doubt he will do a fantastic job!”
….I thank Pat for his outstanding service and will be naming Secretary of the Army, Mark Esper, to be the new Acting Secretary of Defense. I know Mark, and have no doubt he will do a fantastic job!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 18, 2019
Shanahan, 56, had a dispute with his then-wife Kimberley Jordinson in which both parties alleged the other person punched them. Shanahan said he “never laid a hand on” Jordinson, and she was arrested and charged with domestic violence.
