Chris Lange, FISM News
Stuart Scheller’s attorney has accused senior U.S. military officials of retaliatory charges against the lieutenant colonel for publicly criticizing the botched Afghanistan withdrawal that left 13 U.S. service members dead.
Scheller, who spent a week in confinement in Camp Lejeune for violating a gag order prohibiting him from publicly criticizing the Biden administration and top military leaders for the disastrous U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, was released last Tuesday pending court martial proceedings. The outspoken marine first gained national attention for a video he posted to his social media accounts in which he expresses “growing discontent and contempt at the foreign policy level” in direct response to the Aug. 26 suicide bombing near the Hamid Karzai International Airport that killed 13 U.S. troops and between 72 and 170 Afghans. The airport was being used to evacuate Afghans fleeing Taliban rule following the collapse of the Afghan government in connection with President Biden’s decision to abruptly pull U.S. troops from the country.
Attorney Tony Buzbee has called the gag order “illegal,” claiming his client was thrown in the brig by “punitive” military leaders seeking to prevent Scheller from exercising his right to free speech in an interview on Fox News’ “The Ingraham Angle.”
“He spoke out as you saw, and he said many service members, both former like myself and current, believed – which is the withdrawal from Afghanistan was completely botched and no one took accountability,” Buzbee said.
Following his release of the video, Scheller was swiftly placed under a military gag order to prevent him from further publicly criticizing the Biden administration for the disastrous withdrawal that also led to the abandonment of over 100 U.S. citizens and numerous Afghan allies to the ruthless Taliban regime. He was thrown in the brig for violating the order on Sept. 27.
The former infantry battalion commander was only three days from retirement when he was stripped of his command as a result of the videos. The military has refused to accept his resignation.
Scheller currently remains free pending court martial proceedings on charges of contempt toward officials, disrespect toward superior commissioned officers, willful disobedience of a superior commissioned officer, dereliction of duty, failure to obey an order, and conduct unbecoming an officer and a gentleman.
Since his arrest, Scheller and his family have received an outpouring of public support. He has received over $2 million in donations toward his legal defense.
According to a “Washington Time” report, Scheller’s initial court appearance was “quietly delayed” after public outcry and backlash from the media who had been banned from observing the proceedings.