In Letter to NBC, 60 Military Leaders Blast Network for Ayman Mohyeldin's Slander of Chris Kyle

February 10th, 2015 3:40 PM

On the heels of the recent snowballing Brian Williams controversy, more trouble continues to brew for the beleaguered NBC.

Yesterday, 22 retired generals and admirals, along with dozens of other prominent senior military officers, joined MRC president Brent Bozell in a letter to the Comcast Board of Directors.  Comcast is the parent company of NBC.

The letter called upon the Comcast Board to demand NBC apologize for hateful comments recently made against Navy SEAL sniper Chris Kyle: 

“We are deeply concerned by NBC News correspondent Ayman Mohyeldin’s suggestions on the Thursday, January 29 airing of Morning Joe that Chris Kyle, the real “American Sniper,” was a “racist” whose military missions were “killing sprees.” Mohyeldin’s remarks reveal him to be callous and ignorant.”

Though MRC exposed the hateful comments made by Mohyeldin in a January 29 Newsbusters Post, and despite a large public outcry, NBC continues to stay silent.

Such scandals are not new to NBC, which boasts an extensive history of irresponsible journalism. NBC News and its sister outlet MSNBC are regularly prone to bumbling missteps, blatant distortions, and journalistic malfeasance.

The letter to Comcast asked:

Is it the policy of NBC News to allow its own reporters to make inaccurate and insulting editorial comments on its airwaves, aimed at our soldiers who gave their lives for their country? Is it the policy of NBC News to ignore the scandal and hope it goes away?

A list of the signers to the letter is below. To read the letter in full, click here.

L. Brent Bozell III, President, Media Research Center

Lt Gen William G. “Jerry” Boykin, US Army (Ret)

MG Paul E. Vallely, US Army (Ret)

Lt Gen Thomas G. McInerney, USAF (Ret)

MG Gary L Harrell, US Army (Ret)

Adm James A. Lyons, Jr., USN (Ret)

Lt Gen Leroy J. Manor, USAF (Ret)

Lt Gen Bruce L. Fister, USAF (Ret)

MG Sid Shachnow, USA (Ret)

Maj Gen James L. Hobson Jr., USAF (Ret)

MG Richard Scholtes, USA (Ret)

Maj Gen Robert B. Patterson, USAF (Ret)

Maj Gen Jeff Cliver, USAF (Ret)

Maj Gen Richard V. Secord, USAF, Ret)

RADM Jim Carey, USN (Ret)

RADM Hugh D. Wisely, USN (Ret)

RADM George Worthington, USN (Ret)

RADM Pierce J. Johnson, USN (Ret)

BG Joseph S. Stringham, USA (Ret)

Brig Gen Rudolf F. Perskens, USAF (Ret)

BG Gary M. Jones, USA (Ret)

BG Ronald S. Mangum, USA (Ret)

Col Michael Haas, USAF (Ret)

CAPT Larry W. Bailey, USN (Ret)

Col Wayne V. Morris, USMC (Ret)

Col Forrest M. Kimsey, USAF (Ret)

Col Lance E. Booth, USA (Ret)

CAPT Norman H. Olson, USN (Ret)

Col Richard F. Brauer Jr, USAF (Ret)

Col David W. Blizzard, USMC (Ret)

Col Ronald L. Jones, USAF (Ret)

Col Stanley E. Shaneyfelt, USA (Ret)

CAPT Walter K. Steiner, USN (Ret)

Col John E. Arnold, USAF (Ret)

Col Darrell W. Katz, USA (Ret)

CAPT David L. Woods, USNR (Ret)

Col Francis X Ryan, USMCR (Ret)

Col John A. Gallagher, USAF (Ret)

CAPT Daniel I Puzon, USN (Ret)

Col Daniel W. Jacobowitz, USAF (Ret)

Col Abraham L. German, USA (Ret)

CAPT Ronald E. Yeaw, USN (Ret)

Col Robert L. Brenci, USAF (Ret)

CAPT Dean R. Larson, USN (Ret)

CAPT William H. Fleming III, USNR (Ret)

Col Mark D. Boyatt, USA (Ret)

CAPT Larry Pearson, USN (Ret)

Col Craig L. Carlson, USA (Ret)

CAPT Robert C. Beavins, USN (Ret)

CAPT Robert Bernardon (Ret)

Col Christopher A. Roosa, USMCR (Ret)

CAPT Joseph R. John, USN (Ret)

Col James C. Harding, USAF (Ret)

CAPT Michael P. Smith, USN (Ret)

CAPT Theodore T. Mason, USN (Ret)

Col Robert J. Bateman, NYARNG (Ret)

CAPT Kent S. Webber, USN (Ret)

CAPT, MC, George J. Hill, USNR (Ret)

CAPT Howard J. Sartori, USN (Ret)

 

Additional signers (these signers came in after the letter had already been sent to Comcast):

CAPT Robert Carey, USN (Ret)

Rear Admiral James J. Carey, USN (Ret)

Col George C. Ferkes, USAF (Ret)

Noel Koch, Director, Special Planning, Department of Defense, 1981-1986