"Hollowed" Ground

So Trump campaign was told the rules and laws that apply to everyone at Arlington, decided to break them, assaulted a cemetery employee trying to prevent law breaking, then slandered her character. https://t.co/LcwMOPQFby

— Josh Marshall (@joshtpm) August 29, 2024

The US Army issued a stark rebuke of former President Donald Trump’s presidential campaign over the incident on Monday at Arlington National Cemetery, saying in a statement on Thursday that participants in the ceremony “were made aware of federal laws” regarding political activity at the cemetery, and “abruptly pushed aside” an employee of the cemetery.

“Participants in the August 26th ceremony and the subsequent Section 60 visit were made aware of federal laws, Army regulations and DoD policies, which clearly prohibit political activities on cemetery grounds. An ANC employee who attempted to ensure adherence to these rules was abruptly pushed aside,” the Army spokesperson said in the statement on Thursday.

“This incident was unfortunate, and it is also unfortunate that the ANC employee and her professionalism has been unfairly attacked. ANC is a national shrine to the honored dead of the Armed Forces, and its dedicated staff will continue to ensure public ceremonies are conducted with the dignity and respect the nation’s fallen deserve,” the statement said. 

The Army spokesperson said while the incident was reported to the police department at Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall, the employee in question “decided not to press charges” so the Army “considers this matter closed.”

We're fair and balanced here, so the lying weasels get their say, too:

Trump spokesperson Steven Cheung disputed claims of a physical altercation, but said an unnamed individual decided to “physically block members of President Trump’s team during a very solemn ceremony.” Cheung suggested that Trump’s team has video to back up the claim.

Trump campaign manager Chris LaCivita shared a similar account with CNN, saying in a statement that “President Trump was there on the invitation of the Abbey Gate Gold Star Families to honor their loved ones who gave the ultimate sacrifice for their country.”

“For a despicable individual to physically prevent President Trump’s team from accompanying him to this solemn event is a disgrace and does not deserve to represent the hollowed [sic] grounds of Arlington National Cemetery. Whoever this individual is spreading these lies are dishonoring the men and women of our armed forces, and they are disrespecting everyone who paid the price for defending our country,” LaCivita continued. 

Yes, Civita did say "hollowed" in his press release.  There's a whole twitter thread (of course!) chasing down the news outlets who repeated that error verbatim, v. the ones (hem hem NYT hem hem) who silently corrected it.  Another rabbit hole, truthfully.  The truth is the campaign is a reflection of the candidate, who is not fit to associate with decent people, or indeed be let out in public.

I actually love the stupidity of La Civita in this one: 

Trump official again posting photo from Arlington National Cemetery to promote DJT electoral prospects.

Why has the campaign not released the video that it says would exonerate campaign staffers of abusing cemetery official?

In face of denials, let’s see what evidence exists https://t.co/9sMEjeDuAp

— David Folkenflik (@davidfolkenflik) August 29, 2024

The campaign has been complaining that Harris is treating Trump like the incumbent (political jiu-jitsu is fun until it's used on you!).  But here La Civita literally states Trump is more C in C than Biden or Harris.  So is Trump the de facto incumbent, or not? (And yes, considering how many times Trump avoided attending funerals/memorials/even arrival of caskets after he showed up once and the father of the dead soldier berated Trump, whose delicate fee fees would not brook another such incident!, this is all a bit too much anyway.)  Trump literally wouldn't be there if he knew people grieving might approach him with their opinions of him.  Or it if was raining; lightly misting, even.

Wait a minute, it only gets better.  This is per WaPo (via Raw Story):

"Officials said they wanted to respect the wishes of grieving family members who wanted Trump there, but at the same time were wary of Trump’s record of politicizing the military. So they laid out ground rules they hoped would wall off politics from the final resting place of those who paid the ultimate sacrifice for their nation."

Trump's team was told he could attend only in his personal capacity and that campaign staff members were not allowed. Some of his top campaign staffers reportedly attended Monday's event despite the rules set by cemetery officials. Also in attendance were several Republican politicians, including Governor Spencer Cox of Utah, now under fire for using a photo of the event in a re-election campaign fundraising email.

"No hats, signs or banners were allowed, according to military officials," The Post also reported. "No speeches. Reporters and photographers could follow Trump for a ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknowns, but not to the 14-acre plot where veterans from recent wars are buried, known as Section 60. The media was kept away, unable to see the altercation — or anything else, for that matter — during that part of his visit."

That "altercation," reportedly involved a cemetery official who later filed a report stating Trump's team verbally and physically assaulted her, according to multiple reports. She has said she is unwilling to press charges out of fear of retaliation from Trump's supporters, according to The New York Times. The Trump campaign denies the allegations while campaign spokesperson Steven Cheung told The Times the reason for her decision to refuse to press charges “is ridiculous and sounds like someone who has Trump Derangement Syndrome.”

The cemetery "employee tried to enforce the rules as provided to her by blocking Trump’s team from bringing cameras to the graves of U.S. service members killed in recent years, according to a senior defense official and another person briefed on the incident," The Post adds. "A larger male campaign aide insisted the camera was allowed and pushed past the cemetery employee, leaving her shocked."

The Daily Caller reports Monday's event "would have not happened without Speaker Johnson,” according to an unnamed source.

"Speaker of the House Mike Johnson had to intervene to get former President Donald Trump into Arlington National Cemetery for the third anniversary of the Afghanistan withdrawal with Gold Star families, a family told the Daily Caller," according to the right-wing website. [emphasis added]

La Civita's posting of language giving Trump permission to bring photographers and videographers was clearly misleading, at best.  His assertion the video vindicates his version of the story is now even more significant.  And Speaker Johnson has been sucked into it.  This just gets better!

He always captures it perfectly. https://t.co/A0JgdPs2yL

— Josh Marshall (@joshtpm) August 29, 2024