US Army investigating Reserve officer running for Congress after he questioned if Biden is actually the president
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First Lt. Alex Stovall, 26, is running for Congress in Arizona's 9th district.
He recently conducted interviews with One America News Network and Gun Freedom Radio.
In one interview he wore his uniform. In the other he questioned the results of the 2020 election.
The US Army is investigating a Reserve officer running for Congress who has publicly questioned the results of the 2020 presidential election and given an interview to partisan media while in uniform, according to multiple reports.
First Lt. Alex Stovall is a 26-year-old chaplain candidate who joined the Army in 2013 and is assigned to the 91st Training Division, according to Army Times, which first reported that Stovall's actions were facing scrutiny from the Army.
He is running for election to the US House of Representatives to represent Arizona's 9th congressional district and to, according to a recent campaign ad, "stop [Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez] and her cronies from taking over our Congress and our country."
Stovall recently gave interviews to both One America News Network and Gun Freedom Radio.
During his interview with OANN, Stovall appeared in his US Army uniform to discuss his campaign. In his Gun Freedom Radio interview, Stovall did not wear his uniform but referred to President Joe Biden as "this sleepy guy in office" and said he doesn't believe Biden is the president.
Stovall's interview remarks and his appearance on the conservative OANN in uniform, as well as the inclusion of photos of himself in uniform in a political campaign ad, led the Army to investigate this matter, according to Task & Purpose.
Lt. Col. Simon Flake, a US Army Reserve spokesman, told Insider in an emailed statement first reported by Army Times that "we are aware of the situation and are investigating."
He explained that "the US Army Reserve follows the Department of Defense's long standing policy regarding service member involvement in partisan political campaigns to avoid the perception of DoD sponsorship, approval, or endorsement of any partisan political candidate, campaign, or cause."
Army regulations state that soldiers are barred from participating in political activity while in uniform.
The Military Religious Freedom Foundation, a non-profit organization, has argued that Stovall may have violated multiple regulations, including showing "contempt toward officials," the president in particular. The organization has written to Pentagon leadership calling for punishment under the Uniform Code of Military Justice.
Speaking to Army Times, Stovall's campaign denied that any rules were broken, stating that it "has followed all USAR and DOD regulations."
"Alex Stovall is proud to be in the USAR and he decided to run to serve his country in Congress as well. Americans are tired of seeing this country lurch further left toward policies that hurt them," Stovall's press secretary Joel Bailey told the defense outlet.
The statement from Stovall's campaign also said that "Stovall recognize[s] Mr. Biden's authority through the chain of command."
Read the original article on Business Insider
