Representative Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.) criticized Representative Majorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) for her comments in defense of Air National Guardsman Jack Teixeira, who was arrested Thursday for his alleged role in leaking Pentagon files.
“McCarthy’s top lieutenant is siding with one of the greatest traitors America has seen,” Swalwell wrote in a tweet on Thursday.
“I’m sorry Marge, being white, male and Christian is not a license to betray your country and endanger the lives of thousands,” he added. “But this wouldn’t be the first time she’s sided with traitors.”
Swalwell’s comments are in response to Greene’s own comments about Teixeira’s arrest.
“Jake Teixeira is white, male, Christian and anti-war. That makes him an enemy of the Biden regime,” said Greene wrote in a Twitter post. “Ask yourself who is the real enemy? A low-level young national guard? Or the government waging war in Ukraine, a non-NATO country, against nuclear Russia with no war powers?”
According to the Justice Department, 21-year-old Teixeira was taken into custody by the FBI on Thursday.
His arrest comes after a slew of purported Pentagon documents have surfaced online in recent days, some containing confidential information about US and NATO support for Ukraine amid the sovereign country’s ongoing war with Russia, and others contain information apparently gathered by spying on allies such as Israel and South Korea.
The New York Times reported that Teixeira was monitoring the Discord group where the documents were shared.
In a statement, Attorney General Merrick Garland said Teixeira could be prosecuted under the Espionage Act.
“Today, the Justice Department has arrested Jack Douglas Teixeira in connection with an investigation into alleged unauthorized removal, retention and transfer of classified national defense information,” Garland said.
In a separate statement, the FBI said it had been “aggressively pursuing investigative leads” over the past week and that the arrest “is an example of our continued commitment to identifying, prosecuting and holding accountable those who betray our country’s trust.” and jeopardize our national security. risk.”
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