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Commanding Officer’s may occasionally become involved with a congressional inquiry after a service member under his or her command files a complaint with a member of Congress. Most inquiries end with an explanation to the complainant detailing the military’s response to his or her grievance, but occasionally congressional inquiries uncover problems that warrant deeper investigation.

The attorneys at Tully Rinckey’s congressional investigations practice can assist officers in responding to congressional inquiries and investigations. We can prepare responses to congressional inquiries and advice officers of their rights. Officers need to remember that the consequences for failing to comply with congressional inquiries can be severe and include charges of contempt, false statements, perjury, and obstruction of committee proceedings.

Tully Rinckey PLLC can also represent officers who have received threats or experienced retaliation from their commanders because of their participation in a congressional inquiry. The Military Whistleblowers Protection Act of 1988 protects service members against retaliation for preparing or making communications to members of Congress, so long as such communications were lawful. The law (Section 1034, Title 10, US Code) prohibits the military from taking or threatening to take an unfavorable personnel action or withholding or threatening to withhold a favorable personnel action against a service member for preparing or making statements to a member of Congress.

Schedule a meeting with one of Tully Rinckey PLLC’s military law attorneys today by calling 202-787-1900 or e-mailing info@fedattorney.com.