GAO Launches Review of Tuberville’s Military Holds

The Government Accountability Office (GAO) said Tuesday that it plans to launch a review into the impact of Senator Tommy Tuberville’s holds on military promotions, accepting the request of two House Democrats.

The GAO notified The Center Square that “work is expected to begin shortly.”

The congressional watchdog is taking up the review at the behest of Representatives Jamie Raskin, D-Md., and Robert Garcia, D-Calif., who sent a letter to U.S. Comptroller and GAO chief General Gene Dodaro last week.

“We write to request that the Government Accountability Office (GAO) undertake a review of this unprecedented blockade of military promotions, including the short- and long-term detrimental effects on DOD and our broader national security,” wrote Raskin and Garcia.

Tuberville, R-Ala., ended his one-man standoff with the Pentagon in early December, telling Newsmax on Dec. 5 that he “fought hard” for several months to root out the woke agenda from the U.S. military.

Tuberville began his unanimous consent holds in February 2023 over his objection to the Pentagon allowing service members to take time off and paying their travel to other states for abortions. The Pentagon instituted the policy in the aftermath of the Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade in June 2022. Tuberville argued the Biden administration should have brought its abortion policy before Congress to approve.

In all, Tuberville blocked the promotions of 425 senior military leaders over the span of roughly 10 months.

“So, we fought hard. I could have kept doing this, but I wasn’t gonna hold back the promotions from people that needed to be promoted,” Tuberville told Newsmax in December.

Newsmax reached out to Senator Tuberville’s office for comment.

Mark Swanson ✉

Mark Swanson, a Newsmax writer and editor, has nearly three decades of experience covering news, culture and politics.