Staff Reports
The Air Force is moving forward with charges against Jack Teixeira, a former member of the Massachusetts Air National Guard and disgraced leaker, under military law. After pleading guilty to federal charges for leaking hundreds of classified documents, Teixeira was sentenced to nearly 17 years in jail. The Air Force is pursuing separate charges against him, including failing to follow orders and obstructing justice.
“He is subject to both criminal prosecution by the Department of Justice and by the Air Force under the UCMJ because he was on active duty orders at the time he committed his crimes”
Air Force to charge leaker Teixeira under military law https://t.co/nhaKkTt66Y
— Denise 'You have fouled your nest, not us' (@thebax33) May 1, 2024
The charge of failing to follow orders stems from Teixeira’s failure to comply with a lawful order to stop accessing information unrelated to his duties, while the obstruction of justice charge relates to his attempt to dispose of electronic devices and seek assistance in deleting messages. The Air Force asserts that Teixeira is subject to military prosecution under the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ) due to being on active duty orders at the time of his crimes.
A hearing for Teixeira’s case has been scheduled to take place at Hanscom Air Force Base in Massachusetts on May 14, as determined by the Special Court-Martial Convening Authority. The Air Force Office of Special Investigations collaborated with the FBI to assess whether UCMJ charges should be filed against Teixeira.
Teixeira’s actions involved leaking classified information via the Discord app over several months, including sensitive details about the militaries of Ukraine and Russia. Despite being reprimanded twice for mishandling classified material in 2022 and being observed accessing unrelated intelligence content, Teixeira continued his illicit activities before being arrested in April 2023.
In response to Teixeira’s leaks, the Air Force has taken disciplinary action against 15 officers for dereliction in the performance of duties. The pursuit of charges against Teixeira underscores the serious consequences for betraying the trust and responsibility placed upon individuals with access to classified information.
