In response to a State Commander of the Veterans of Foreign Wars statement in defense of Hamilton mayoral candidate Jeff Martin, Mayor Kelly Yaede issued the following statement.

“Although stating the VFW has remained ‘non-partisan’, Barbara Kim-Hagemann made a politically-charge attack that is inaccurate and ignores startlingly statistics.”

“Neither I, nor the mailing, criticized Jeff Martin’s service; the criticism is over Jeff Martin’s trivialization of a victim of aggravated sexual assault.”

“Regrettably, sexual assault continues to be a very serious issue, even in the military; and when people like Jeff Martin and others try to trivialize the trauma of sexual assault victims, we all suffer.”

According to a Military Sexual Assault Fact Sheet from the organization Protect Our Defenders, taken from Department of Defense reports, 20,500 members of the military (13,000 women and 7,500 men) were sexually assaulted in 2018. Source: https://www.protectourdefenders.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/MSA-Fact-Sheet-190724_FINAL.pdf

“For the over 20,000 victims of sexual assault in the military in 2018, it was not just ‘one night’ as Jeff Martin trivialize.  It is not just 20,000 nights of victimization.  It is a lifetime of scars and pains for the victims of sexual assault.  How can Jeff Martin trivialize their suffering?”

“Does Barabara Kim-Hagemann believe her words, that it is ‘un-American and disgraceful,’ to condemn the trivialization of rape victims’ suffering?  When she says Jeff Martin was ‘following orders’, where was the order that he received to say sexual assault is just one night?”

“Even a prominent Hamilton Democrat, with a son who is a US Marine currently serving oversees, agrees that trivializing sexual assault is wrong.”

See below letter:

Subject: Jeff Martin’s Defense of Sex Offender

As a lifelong Hamilton resident and registered Democrat I have been active in quality of life issues in my community for well over two decades. I am a mother of  twin boys, two daughters and a grandmother to three beautiful granddaughters.  I am extremely proud to be a Marine Mom with one of my son’s currently deployed and serving his country in the Persian Gulf.  I care deeply about Hamilton and its leadership.

I am totally disgusted by the recent revelation that Hamilton Mayoral Candidate, and former Air Force JAG defense attorney, Jeff Martin defended a convicted sex offender. The comments that Mayoral hopeful Jeff Martin made that his client, Lt. Col. James Wilkerson’s, sexual assault was “just one night” is deplorable. Martin’s reprehensible comment continued with him stating, “I’m not saying it was a good night.” That kind of mentality is also deplorable. Sadly I have personally experienced and witnessed on more than one occasion the unspeakable pain that victims of sexual assault experience! For Mr. Martin to be so insensitive in his choice of words makes me seriously question his ability to lead our community. Let me make it clear Mr. Martin – it is not “just one night.” It is a lifetime of remembering that “one night.” It is learning to live again, learning to trust again and a hell of a lot of healing!

I am further angered that Mr. Martin would hide behind the cloak of military service claiming that he was just following orders when he alone decided to justify his client’s heinous sexual assault in court in front of the victim! Mr. Martin’s choice of words in defense of a sex offender proves he has poor judgement.

In this day and age of the #metoo movement Jeff Martin is not the kind of representation we need here in Hamilton especially given our history in protecting our community from sex offenders. He clearly lacks a sensitivity chip.

Given the inappropriate comments Mr. Martin has admitted to making I do not want him as my Mayor. In fact I do not want him as my Council President either! It’s time for him to resign.

I will however give credit where credit is due. Mayoral hopeful Jeff Martin has inspired me. For the first time I will publicly stand with others and sign my name with the hashtag  #me too!

Connie Silakoski

#metoo

See the VFW’s reponse to Yaede here.