Former national security advisor Michael Flynn has openly called for a suspension of the Constitution in the United States and the imposition of martial law. Flynn, who was pardoned by President Donald Trump last week, exhorted the president to declare martial law and ask the military to conduct a new election.
The startling and open call for subverting the election came on a day when Trump released a 46-minute video arguing that it was 'statistically impossible' that he lost the election to Joe Biden. Flynn is possibly the most high-ranking among the ex-Trump aides to walk down this path, though many in the Republican rank and file had earlier defied the election results.
Registered Voters, Paper Ballots, Photo IDs
'When the legislators, courts and/or Congress fail to do their duty under the 12th Amendment, you must be ready Mr. President to immediately declare a limited form of Martial Law, and temporarily suspend the Constitution and civilian control of these federal elections, for the sole purpose of having the military oversee a national re-vote," reads the advertisement in Washington Times that Flynn endorsed.
The text of the advertisement was written byTom Zawistowski, who heads the Ohio Tea Party-affiliated group. "Freedom never kneels except for God," Flynn wrote as he tweeted the advertisement.
Flynn also said the new vote should be conducted using only paper ballots. While only registered voters should be allowed to vote, identity papers with photos must be used to validate residence proof. No computers should be used and the votes should be hand-counted, allowing representatives of both the sides to watch the proceedings. He also says that social distancing must be practised during the voting process.
'Limited Martial Better than Civil War'
"Only then can the winning candidate be accepted as legitimate by a true majority of We the People,: he says. The advertisement says that the failure to save the election would result in civil war.
"Failure to do so could result in massive violence and destruction on a level not seen since the Civil War. Limited Martial Law is clearly a better option than Civil War!"
Initial reactions to Flynn's extraordinary position betrayed the deep divide in American politics. Which the opponents blasted him as a 'nutcase' and asked for his court martial, supporters highlighted the 'stolen election'.
"Michael Flynn should be arrested for seditious behavior. He's urged Trump to suspend Constitution & declare martial law, thus inciting open rebellion against the United States. Americans will never forget how Republicans stayed silent while Trump brazenly assaulted democracy," one Twitter response went by.
Invoking Lincoln Era
Another gave him support obliquely. ""There's another man I know where he is, but he's not here .... He's been fighting for America. And he's been fighting for you the people for several years. They are trying to steal our country from us. Give it up for General Michael Flynn"
The text endorsed by Flynn, a retired army general, also compares the state of the affairs of the country to that which existed during Abraham Lincoln's times. "You must also act, like Lincoln did, to silence the destructive media's one-sided propaganda," the text reads, supporting President Trump's fight against the Big Tech.
