Army releases report on incident involving Trump campaign aide at Arlington cemetery

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The report, which describes the incident as "assault," notes that on Aug. 26 the Trump campaign staffer used “both” hands while trying to push past a female cemetery worker, who NBC News previously reported had attempted to stop the staffer from illegally taking campaign photos in Arlington National Cemetery, where political press events are forbidden. The names of both people were redacted.

According to the report, the cemetery employee did not want to press charges, the report said.

A Trump campaign spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment Friday night.

An Army spokesperson told Politico in a statement: “The law enforcement investigation into the incident remains open and we are therefore unable to provide further information at this time.”

The internal documents were released by the Army after American Oversight, a government ethics and transparency group, sued to obtain the report. A judge ordered the Defense Department to provide the documents.

Arlington National Cemetery released a statement pointing to a federal law barring political campaign or election-related activities within Army National Military Cemeteries, including photographers.


 
Dutch Uncle said:
Federal charges should be filed. Not a lawyer, but if there are witnesses, the victim doesn't need to file charges. A crime is a crime.
Click to expand...


That's correct.

According to Arlington National Cemetery’s media policy, filming and photographing is not authorized “for partisan, political or fundraising purposes, in accordance with the Hatch Act.”

“Federal law prohibits political campaign or election-related activities within Army National Military Cemeteries, to include photographers, content creators or any other persons attending for purposes or in direct support of a partisan political candidate’s campaign,” the cemetery said in a statement.

“Arlington National Cemetery reinforced and widely shared this law and its prohibitions with all participants. We can confirm there was an incident, and a report was filed.”

Additionally, services and ceremonies at the Army National Military Cemeteries may not include partisan political activities, according to the Army Public Affairs Program handbook.

Military installations cannot be used by incumbents or “office-seeking candidates, their staff members, or their campaign representatives for political campaign or election events,” including public assemblies or town halls, meetings, speeches, press conferences, or fundraisers, the handbook said.


 
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