Marine Lt. Col. Scheller Pleads Guilty, Renews Calls for Accountability

Contact Your Elected Officials
The Epoch Times Header

Marine Lt. Col. Stuart Scheller pleaded guilty Oct. 14 to all charges against him at a special court-martial trial related to his criticisms about how senior military officials handled the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, although he didn’t backpedal from his calls for accountability.

Scheller’s punishment has yet to be finalized. U.S. Marine Corps Judge Glen Hines accepted his plea agreement and stipulation of facts, and witnesses testified about Scheller’s character to inform his sentencing decision.

Scheller spoke just before this article’s publication, and The Epoch Times obtained a copy of his written testimony. Closing arguments are still scheduled before Hines renders his punishment.

According to the written testimony, Scheller apologized for the unprofessional nature of some of his comments, but he still criticized senior leadership for failing to accept accountability for the disastrous Afghanistan withdrawal.

“I believe the General officers have demonstrated that they are unable or unwilling to hold themselves accountable. As a result, I believe fundamental change needs to occur in the military,” he said. “I am being held accountable for my actions. The General officers should be held accountable for their failures.”

Scheller also criticized the Marine Corps for apparently leaking confidential records about him to Task and Purpose.

“I was painted as a violent extremist, fascist, and the journalist even made a connection to Hitler. Obviously, you can understand that I was very angry following the article,” he said. “After everything I’ve been through, I feel it’s reasonable to conclude that the Marine Corps and Task and Purpose were working together in an effort to smear my name.”

The Marine further pointed out that he hasn’t been charged with making false statements “because everything I have said is true.”

“If the Marine Corps could have charged me with it, they would have,” he said.

According to a person familiar with the matter, the maximum punishment Scheller faces is a letter of reprimand. He also faces a potential general discharge under honorable conditions, which can reduce the number of benefits available to him.

The Epoch Times also obtained the stipulation of facts accepted by Hines. The document specifies the statements that put Scheller in hot water with his superiors, as well as Scheller’s reasons for pleading guilty.

The first charge stems from an Aug. 26 video he posted criticizing leaders for abandoning Bagram Air Base.

“Potentially, all of those people did die in vain if we don’t have senior leaders that own up and raise their hand and say we did not do this well in the end,” Scheller said.

Scheller also pleaded guilty to charges related to his continued social media messages made after officials placed restrictions on posting.

By Ken Silva

Read Full Article on TheEpochTimes.com

The Epoch Times
The Epoch Timeshttps://www.theepochtimes.com/
Tired of biased news? The Epoch Times is truthful, factual news that other media outlets don't report. No spin. No agenda. Just honest journalism like it used to be.

James Franklin’s contract fallout

Penn State’s decision to fire head coach James Franklin after a disappointing 22–21 home loss to Northwestern will cost an estimated $56 million buyout. 

Trump’s Middle East Trip Led to Historic Breakthroughs

Trump’s bold, unconventional strategy helped end the Israel-Hamas war and set the stage for a more stable, prosperous Middle East.

Pretending Really Hard

The world is real and so are its problems, too. Reality is the enemy of liberals, even though they are pretending, really hard, that it is not.

Trump 2.0’s Eurasian Balancing Act Has Failed

Trump's Eurasian balancing act has failed due to his arrogant and aggressive approach towards all three countries.

Should Palestinian clans rebelling against Hamas be given Gaza?

Hamas’s October 7 attack exposed its violent ideology, showing cruelty toward its enemies and also against the Palestinian people it claims to defend.

Trump, Patel Confirm FBI Special Agents Will Get Paid During Shutdown

FBI special agents will receive their paychecks despite the government shutdown, according to President Donald Trump and FBI Director Kash Patel.

Trump Admin Withholds $41 Million From California Over English-Language Trucking Rules

Trump admin withholds $40.6M in California transportation funds, citing failure to meet federal English proficiency rules for truck drivers.

An Inconvenient Study – Feature Film

Journalist Del Bigtree challenged a top infectious disease expert in 2016 to a vaxxed vs. unvaxxed study. The long-hidden results are finally revealed.

Federal Judge Temporarily Blocks Trump Admin’s Shutdown-Related Layoffs

A federal judge on Oct. 15 temporarily blocked President Donald Trump’s plan to lay off certain federal employees during the government shutdown. 

Trump Posthumously Awards Charlie Kirk the Presidential Medal of Freedom

President Trump posthumously awarded Charlie Kirk the Presidential Medal of Freedom in the White House Rose Garden on Oct 14, Charlie's birthday.

Trump Names Longtime Adviser Dan Scavino to Key Personnel Position

One of President Trump’s longtime advisers, Dan Scavino, is going to be in charge of selecting and appointing key positions within the executive branch.

First Lady’s Effort Helped Reunite 8 War-Displaced Children With Their Families

First lady Melania Trump said 8 children impacted by the fighting between Ukraine and Russia were reunited with their families on Oct. 9.

Trump to Impose New 100 Percent Tariff on China on Nov. 1

President Trump said that the US will impose an additional 100 percent tariffs on Chinese goods and export controls on critical software starting on Nov. 1.
spot_img

Related Articles

Popular Categories

MAGA Business Central