Over 30 House Dems Ask Biden to Give Up Sole Control of Nuclear Authority

MARY CHASTAIN FEB 25, 2021 3:00 PM

Rep. Jimmy Panetta (D-CA), the son of former Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta, and Rep. Ted Lieu (D-CA) asked President Joe Biden to share the nuclear codes with those in the presidential order because a single person “should have the ability to start a nuclear war.”

“However, vesting one person with this authority entails real risks,” wrote Panetta and Lieu. “Past presidents have threatened to attack other countries with nuclear weapons or exhibited behavior that caused other officials to express concern about the president’s judgment.”

Panetta and Lieu noted the last sentence with three instances:

• A tweet from President Donald Trump
• President Richard Nixon’s Secretary of Defense telling military commanders if the president ordered a nuclear launch
• Pelosi asking the Joint Chiefs of Staff about Trump’s nuclear authority during the Capitol Hill riot

They want Biden to give Vice President Kamala Harris and Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, both Democrats, the nuclear codes.

The congressmen have three other proposals:

• The secretary of defense must provide certifications “that the launch is valid and from the attorney general that it is legal.” This could also include agreements “from the chair of the Joint Chiefs of staff and/or the secretary of state.”
• Congress must declare war “and specific authorization from Congress before” anyone conducts a nuclear strike.
• Have “a permanent active council of congressional leaders” to take part in national security talks with the executive branch.” Officials must alert some of those leaders before a nuclear strike.

Let’s look at logistics:

• 30 minutes from land in Russia to U.S. mainland
• Submarine strike takes 10-15 minutes
• 30 Minutes from land in North Korea to U.S. mainland

Do we have time to sit and negotiate? It’s like they think we have the only nuclear bombs or that only America would launch the bombs.

Anyway.

Others might reasonably think that the Democrats have doubts about Biden’s mental health. Some might think this is proof they want Harris in charge.

How about Pelosi? This is the second time in a month she’s tried to get the codes.

Lieu mentioned the first time Pelosi tried to weasel the codes to her hands.

Pelosi really wants that power. She berated Trump for wanting the military around during the BLM riots. But yet…

Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) said it is unconstitutional. The president is commander-in-chief:

MIKE LEE: “Look, there is one argument or another with regard to whether or to what extent we ought to be involved in foreign conflicts at any moment. One could have one opinion or another about at what point it is appropriate for Congress to declare war rather than have the president order discreet strikes. The fact is the president is the commander-in-chief of the armed forces.This is why we subject presidents to a very rigorous review process. That is they have to win elections. Once they’ve won an election you really do have to pick that horse and then ride it. You’ve gotta let the president be the commander-in-chief…This seems really weird to me that they’d take that away – and by the way, who are they going to give that power to? They’re gonna give that to a committee? In addition to being wildly unconstitutional, this would be a horrible policy. Remember what happened when you put a committee in charge of protecting the Capitol? That didn’t end so well either.”

CLICK HERE FOR FULL VERSION OF THIS STORY