FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Peter Kovar (202) 225-5931
Dorothy Reichard (617) 332-3920

FRANK LEADS CALL FOR FIRING OF SENIOR INTELLIGENCE OFFICIAL

Congressman Barney Frank is leading a Congressional call to remove from office Lieutenant General William Boykin, the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Intelligence, because of inflammatory, irresponsible remarks he has made. Frank and 10 of his colleagues sent a letter today to President Bush urging the dismissal of General Boykin, on the grounds that his offensive comments, first reported in the press last year, “demonstrate a serious lack of the objectivity that should be accompanying military intelligence.” A recently completed internal Defense Department investigation found that General Boykin did not comply with Army regulations requiring advance clearance of the speeches that included the inappropriate remarks, but he has not been formally disciplined to date.

“Given the extremely sensitive nature of General Boykin’s intelligence assignment and the increasingly important role that America’s relations with the Muslim world play in foreign affairs, I believe he is fundamentally unfit to serve in that position,” Frank said. “The General is obviously entitled to hold any personal views, but when those opinions publicly influence his official duties in such a negative manner, he compromises his ability to do his job. We can’t afford to have such an important intelligence position weakened in this way, given the dangers in the world today. As we approach a major restructuring of our intelligence system, it would be a great mistake to have someone of General Boykin’s poor judgment continuing to play a key part in that system. I urge President Bush to follow our recommendation.”
 

Click Here For a Copy (.PDF) Of The Letter To President Bush

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