Beyond refuting charges; Go on offensive with promise to women
Photo by Gage Skidmore, via Flickr
by John Banzhaf, B.S.E.E., J.D., Sc.D.
WASHINGTON, D.C. (December 4, 2024) – According to the Wall Street Journal, as well as similar reports in other major media outlets, the nomination of Pete Hegseth to be the next Secretary of Defense is in deep trouble with a replacement already lined up.
WALL STREET JOURNAL 12/4 -Trump Mulls Replacing Pete Hegseth With Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis
President-elect Donald Trump is considering Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis as a possible replacement for Pete Hegseth, his pick to run the Pentagon, according to people familiar with the discussions, amid Republican senators’ concerns over mounting allegations about the former Fox News host’s personal life.
Trump allies increasingly think Hegseth may not survive further scrutiny, according to people close to the president-elect’s team, which considers the next 48 hours to be crucial to his fate.
Republican senators who have begun meeting with Hegseth have warned him that he would face a grilling during public confirmation hearings, and they have openly said he would need to work to overcome sexual assault and other allegations.
A person familiar with the matter said there were six senators who were potentially opposed to his nomination.
A 2017 sexual assault allegation, which he later paid his accuser to keep secret, blindsided Trump transition officials.
The allegations which could sink his candidacy include rape and sexual assault, public drunkenness and being an alcoholic, abusing women, inciting the deaths of Muslims, financial mismanagement, and much more, says public interest law professor John Banzhaf.
In addition to making much more effective efforts to refute these potentially-fatal allegations, Banzhaf suggests that Hegseth issue a simple statement which surveys show would be welcomed by most Americans, especially women (with whom he seems to be in deepest trouble), as well as any family with female children (especially if they are athletes).
More Say Birth Gender Should Dictate Sports Participation:
A larger majority of Americans now (69%) than in 2021 (62%) say transgender athletes should only be allowed to compete on sports teams that conform with their birth gender. . . Large majorities of independents (67%) and Republicans (93%) remain opposed to giving transgender athletes a choice of competing on male or female teams.”
So the professor, who has documented serious physical injuries to girls and women forced to compete against biological male [M2F transgender] athletes in many sports – including not only contact sports such as MMA, boxing, hockey, rugby, field hockey, and soccer, but even non-contact sports such as volleyball – and who has explained with many specific and documented examples why and how such competition is grossly unfair, suggests that Hegseth make the following promise before it’s too late.
“Promptly upon taking office, I will issue orders and take other appropriate steps to protect female athletes in the armed forces and military academies from serious injuries, and also to insure fairness in athletic competition, by keeping them from competing in women’s sporting events against M2F transgender athletes in light of the clear record of serious injuries they continue to cause.”