Villore - Senator Chermoul has addressed the press regarding the recent turmoil within the Defense Committee, and announced a formal withdrawal of his petition.
In the days since several committee members called for the removal of chairman Vance Opheron, no less than fourteen senators and local governors have formally withdrawn their support for the petition. Less than an hour ago the Defense Committee held a vote on the position of Senator Opheron, which passed with a majority wishing him to remain committee chairman.
Senator Chermoul elaborated further on his reasons for the formal withdrawal. "I think the committee, and the petty bickering within, will prove to do more harm than good if it continues. The concerns of the petitioners and myself are purely for the best defense of our space. No good will come from infighting. So we have decided to withdraw our petition and will seek alternative recourse."
In response to this, the Defense Committee and the Federal Navy have archived their incomplete reports on the Federal Defense Union and ended their respective reviews. It is not expected that the Senate's Defense Committee will release their report incomplete. Representatives declined to comment on their findings to date, stating it would be inappropriate to disseminate incomplete information of this nature.
Senator Chermoul concluded his discussion with the media by stating, "I firmly believe from what we have witnessed here today that the current system of oversight cannot cover an organization such as the Federal Defense Union, unique as it is. Many petition supporters and myself agree that a dedicated department overseeing the affairs of the militia would help put minds at ease over their defense readiness."