Congressman Jim Cooper told his colleagues that the hearing over Bowe Bergdahl’s release had become too partisan. Credit: Susan Urmy / Vanderbilt University
Nashville’s Democratic congressman blasted his Republican colleagues, during a hearing on the deal to swap five Taliban prisoners for Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl. Jim Cooper told colleagues on the House Armed Services Committee that thought the hearing had become too partisan.
Cooper begged his GOP colleagues to drop “prosecutorial questioning” of Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel, and focus instead on what he saw as most important issue: why the Obama Administration didn’t give 30 days notice to the House Armed Services Committee:
“Does the Commander in Chief, any Commander in Chief of either party, have the right to take action when time requires it to protect the life of a serviceman to perhaps circumvent 30 day notice requirements to this body?”
Many members of the committee asked different versions of that same question, since negotiations over Bergdahl’s release had been going on for years. In response to Cooper, Pentagon lawyer Stephen Preston said Bergdahl’s life was in danger, and there was a fleeting opportunity to negotiate his release.
Cooper also wanted to know if the lack of notice was constitutional. Answering an earlier question, Preston said he believed the Constitution gives the President authority and responsibility to protect American troops.
On Air - 90.3 WPLN-FM