Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina has come under fire for his service as an Air Force Reserve colonel sitting as a judge on the Air Force Court of Criminal Appeals. Attorneys for A1C Charles Lane are trying to throw out Lane’s cocaine conviction, arguing that Graham (one of three judges who reviewed Lane’s case) is disqualified to serve due to his being “politically accountable” to his constituents for his decisions and cannot therefore be impartial. According to USA Today, Lane’s attorneys requested that Graham recuse himself, but he did not and joined the other two judges in upholding the airman’s sentence. Now, Graham’s position is up to the US Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces. The decision could have ramifications for the few other lawmaker-reservists.
The roles and missions executed by Air Force warriors are essential to the nation’s security. Yet after three decades of constant demand and minimal replenishment, our Air Force is too small and too old. It needs to be rebuilt. The Trump administration and Congress must fund that modernization to ensure…