Senator to block more than 1000 military promotions

A Democratic senator is blocking promotions for 1123 senior members of the military until she gets assurances from Defence Secretary Mark Esper that he will not retaliate against an Army officer for his role in the past year’s impeachment inquiry of President Donald Trump. Senator Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., said that she wants confirmation in writing from Esper that he did not or will not block the promotion of Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman. Until she gets that assurance, she will maintain a hold on Senate confirmation of the hundreds of promotions. Duckworth is a Purple Heart recipient and a former Army helicopter pilot who lost both her legs in the Iraq War. Vindman, who received a Purple Heart for his actions in Iraq and later served as a White House aide on European affairs, is among hundreds of officers selected to be promoted to colonel this year. In February, the White House ousted Vindman from his post on the National Security Council. He had testified to Congress in November that he was disturbed by Trump’s call for Ukraine to investigate the president’s political rivals.