Sister of Army soldier murdered at Texas base floats potential congressional challenge to Rep Al Green
The sister of Vanessa Guillén, a U.S. Army soldier murdered and dismembered at what was formerly called Fort Hood in Texas, is floating a potential congressional challenge to Rep. Al Green, D-Texas.
Mayra Guillén said she was considering running against Green after watching his outbursts during President Donald Trump's address to Congress last week.
After watching Green "disrespect" not only the president, "but our district, state and country, I believe it's time for me to get into the fight like I did for my sister Vanessa Guillen!" Mayra Guillén wrote on X on March 6. "It's time to end the propaganda displayed by these politicians, and time to help support [Trump] and his amazing [administration] to Make America Great Again! Al Green I'm coming for your seat."
Family Of Murdered Fort Hood Soldier Vanessa Guillen Files $35M Lawsuit Against U.s. Army
Local outlets, including the Houston Chronicle, picked up her potential congressional run in reports published Wednesday but said Guillén has yet to file the appropriate paperwork for a campaign.
Fox News Digital reached out to Guillén for comment Thursday but did not immediately hear back.
Read On The Fox News App
Green has represented his heavily blue Houston congressional district since 2005 and was unopposed in last year's election. House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., ordered the Sergeant at Arms to remove Green from the chamber when he repeatedly shouted over and wagged his cane at Trump during the president's first congressional address back in office, and Republicans later voted to censure the long-time Democratic congressman.
In 2021, Mayra Guillén founded the "I am Vanessa Guillén Foundation," an advocacy group intended to give a voice to survivors of sexual violence in the military.
Murdered Fort Hood Soldier Vanessa Guillen Deserves Same Respect As George Floyd, Biden Must Act, Family Says
Vanessa Guillén, a 20-year-old soldier stationed at Fort Hood, was declared missing in April 2020 from the base outside Killeen, Texas, prompting a months-long search.
Authorities eventually said she was murdered and dismembered in an armory room by a fellow soldier, Army Spc. Aaron Robinson, who died by suicide on July 1, 2020, when authorities were closing in on him a day after Guillén's remains were found.
The only person criminally charged in Guillén's death was Robinson's girlfriend, Cecily Aguilar, who authorities accused of helping him mutilate and hide the body. Aguilar was sentenced to 30 years in prison in August 2023 for accessory to murder.
Guillén's family has said they believe she was sexually harassed during her time at the Texas military base. While Army officials have said they do not believe Robinson harassed Guillén, they admitted in a report a year later that Guillén was harassed by another soldier at the base.
Then-U.S. Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy said during a visit to the Texas base that it had one of the highest rates of murder, sexual assault and harassment in the Army, later adding that the patterns of violence were a direct result of "leadership failures." State and federal lawmakers passed legislation in 2021 honoring Guillén that removed some authority from commanders and gave survivors more options to report abuse and harassment.
Click To Get The Fox News App
Army officials disciplined 21 commissioned and non-commissioned officers in connection with Guillén's death. Fort Hood was renamed to Fort Cavazos in May 2023.
The Associated Press contributed to this report. Original article source: Sister of Army soldier murdered at Texas base floats potential congressional challenge to Rep Al Green
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Newsweek
15 minutes ago
- Newsweek
GOP Senator's Minnesota Assassination Comments Spark Backlash
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Senator Mike Lee, a Utah Republican, is facing widespread backlash following posts about the targeted shooting of two Democratic lawmakers and their spouses in Minnesota. The suspect, 57-year-old Vance Boelter, was arrested late Sunday following a nearly two-day statewide search. The Saturday morning shootings left State Representative Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, dead, and wounded State Senator John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette. "This is what Marxists don't get their way," Lee posted on X (formerly Twitter), sharing a photo of Boelter wearing what appears to be a latex face mask. Newsweek has reached out to the senator's office for comment by email. Why It Matters President Donald Trump—as well as several Republicans—has long used the label "Marxist," or also "communists," to describe Democrats. Experts who study political messaging have said the term is inaccurate and dangerous as it risks fueling political polarization in the country. Police said they had uncovered a notebook with an apparent target list naming Democratic officials, abortion providers as well as civic and business leaders, The New York Times reported. A state report in 2016 listed Boelter's political affiliation as "none or other," and another report in 2020 listed him as having "no party preference," according to The New York Times. Voters do not declare political affiliation when they register in Minnesota. What To Know Lee also shared another post of Boelter with the caption: "Nightmare on Waltz Street." Nightmare on Waltz Street — Mike Lee (@BasedMikeLee) June 15, 2025 He appeared to be making a reference to Minnesota governor Tim Walz, a Democrat, misspelling his name. According to a criminal complaint, police responded to a shooting at a home in Champlin, Minnesota, at around 2:05 a.m. local time Saturday. A 911 caller reported that a masked individual had approached their home and opened fire. Authorities say a masked Boelter posed as police officer as he shot the Hoffmans. The Brooklyn Park Police Department, having learned of the Champlin shooting, proactively dispatched officers to the home of lawmaker Hortman. At around 3:35 a.m, they witnessed Boelter shoot Mark Hortman through a doorway. Boelter fled after officers exchanged fire, said police who found the Hortmans dead inside the home. Boelter's vehicle and personal belongings were found roughly an hour from where the shootings took place. Police also uncovered a target list naming Democratic officials, abortion providers as well as civic and business leaders This is what happens When Marxists don't get their way — Mike Lee (@BasedMikeLee) June 15, 2025 SpaceX and Tesla CEO Elon Musk also drew backlash for attempting to blame the "far left" for the attacks. "The far left is murderously violent," Musk wrote on X, as he shared a post that said without evidence that the left "now kills a MN state rep and her husband and injures a Senator and his left has become a full blown domestic terrorist organization." Authorities have not confirmed Boelter's political affiliation or motive. In a Sunday press conference, Governor Walz appealed for political unity. "Now is the time for us to recommit to the core values of this country, and each and every one of us can do it. Talk to a neighbor rather than arguing, debate an issue, shake hands, find common ground," he said. Boelter previously served on Minnesota's Governor's Workforce Development Board—appointed by Governor Mark Dayton in 2016 and reappointed by Tim Walz in 2019. What People Are Saying The timing and tone of the posts have drawn strong criticism on X: Dan Pfeiffer, former senior adviser to President Barack Obama, said: "Truly disgusting behavior from a United States Senator." Brett Meiselas, co-founder of media company MeidasTouch, wrote: "For a U.S. senator to be posting fake information like this after Democratic lawmakers were just shot is just so beneath contempt I don't even know where to begin." Journalist Karly Kingsley wrote: "A senator celebrating the murder of political opponents should be expelled. Not debated. Not excused. Expelled." Journalist Aaron Rupar said: "This is an egregiously shameful tweet from a US senator." What Happens Next Law enforcement officials say the investigation into Boelter's motive is ongoing. Governor Walz said Sen. Hoffman has come out of his final surgery and is moving toward recovery.
Politico
32 minutes ago
- Politico
In Trump's tough-guy era, New York mayoral candidates peddle their mettle
NEW YORK — Mayoral candidate Brad Lander, admired in New York politics for his policy chops and mocked for his lefty self-importance, tried something off brand when he cut his first TV ad this cycle: Donning a blue suit, the cerebral city comptroller steered a front loader in a junkyard to crush a Tesla bearing Donald Trump's name. The intended message was obvious: Lander's not just a policy wonk who can audit the books and talk affordable housing. He's a tough guy, too. That idea of toughness has been an undercurrent in the crowded Democratic primary to oust Mayor Eric Adams — a race that will culminate when voters hit the polls next Tuesday. Andrew Cuomo portrays himself as the only candidate tough enough to stand up to Trump, leaning on his three terms as New York governor when his domineering style earned him a reputation of strength among his allies and a bully to just about everyone else. Lander dropped a digital video of himself throwing jabs in a boxing gym as he told viewers he's been 'fighting Eric Adams' corruption.' Scott Stringer released an ad ahead of the first televised debate entitled 'Toughest' — an attempt to show the bespectacled former city comptroller as a different brand of tough, someone who advocates for New Yorkers without all the bravado. In the spot, Stringer seemed to be doing what Lander didn't: Recognizing the limits of out-tough-guying Cuomo in its traditional sense. In the lesser-watched city comptroller's race, the burly Justin Brannan is pitching himself as that contest's tough man as well — a bald, tattooed former punk rocker whose face is just inches from the camera as declares he's 'ready to take on Trump and his crew of freaks' in his TV ad. The spot ends casting Brannan as a 'bulldog.' With the Republican president's aggression looming and Democrats saying they're desperate for a fighter, New York City candidates — generally men — are doing whatever they can to portray themselves as strong this cycle. 'Everything feels hard for New Yorkers, from paying rent and buying groceries to getting around the city. Then you have Trump targeting New York City and ripping New Yorkers away from their families in broad daylight. People are worried and scared. They want someone who sees their fear and anger and will fight back,' Jon Paul Lupo, general consultant for Brannan's campaign, said. 'This isn't about being a man or a woman or progressive or moderate, it's about showing you're as pissed as everyone else and that you have the guts to do something about it.' How all that tough talk translates — and whether there's an appetite for a less testosterone-driven brand of strength — will impact the outcome of the race. The winner will face Adams, a brash politician and former police captain who relishes in fights, but backed away from the one New Yorkers seemed to want most when he aligned himself with Trump amid his now-dropped federal corruption charges. No candidate in the crowded Democratic primary field has aspired to the perception of toughness more than Cuomo. Underscoring that theme is the independent ballot line he's organized for the November general election: 'Fight and Deliver.' Its symbol: a pair of boxing gloves. As governor he wielded power at every turn to accomplish his agenda and punish his rivals. He argues it was that brand of toughness that led to the completion of long-delayed infrastructure projects like the Second Avenue Subway and the resolution of thorny political matters. The legalization of same-sex marriage — a signature Cuomo accomplishment — was preceded by strong-arm tactics and threats from his office, both for allies and opponents. In the New York state house known for hardball politics, lawmakers long chafed at the aggressive tactics. 'Cuomo is all about being a tough guy from a distance,' said Democratic state Sen. Gustavo Rivera, who has endorsed his leading opponent, Assemblymember Zohran Mamdani. 'It's an '80s mentality — you can't be a softy. You have to be tough to get things done.' The former governor's style was called into question in 2018 by primary rival Cynthia Nixon — an actress and far-left political activist who dubbed him 'Andrew the Bully.' He resoundingly defeated her at the ballot box, showing that voters either didn't believe her spin or didn't care. Cuomo's Covid-era slogan was 'NY Tough' — a phrase that a vandal took advantage of in 2021 when the words lighting up a building in Albany were changed to 'NY Touch,' a reference to sexual harassment allegations the former governor denies. He also used it to express his version of tenderness, explaining that 'New York tough means New York loving.' Tough is a preferred adjective Cuomo employs to convey a manly tenacity. His X account thrice referred to the New York Knicks during their playoff run as 'tough,' including assessing an April 24 win against the Detroit Pistons with the message: 'The @nyknicks were New York Tough tonight.' Throughout his short campaign this cycle, he has leaned into a promise to combat the White House — seeking to pair voters' desires for a Trump resistance fighter with decades of managerial experience and fearlessness. During the first televised debate, Cuomo said he 'fought on a daily basis' with Trump during Covid and was successful. 'He can be beaten, but he has to know he's up against an adversary who can actually beat him,' the ex-governor said. But at times, Cuomo and his team have evinced nervousness and a strong aversion to risk. They were wary of taking on Adams, even after his September indictment, until it became so obvious he was political roadkill within the Democratic Party that it was a safe bet. For much of the campaign, Cuomo long avoided public forums and interactions with the press — a common strategy for frontrunners like the former governor — but has upped his public appearances in recent weeks as the race tightens between him and Mamdani. In one incident, he drove away from an event rather than take questions from a group of reporters — and appeared to subsequently run a red light, though his campaign insists he stopped for a pedestrian. The team tightly controls situations, including his launch event at a union headquarters that featured multiple checkpoints. The time and location was kept under wraps until just a few hours before it began. His critics contend the strategy is a sign Cuomo has a glass jaw — fearless for cameras, but avoidant of direct combat with his opponents — and bolts from difficult questions. While governor, Cuomo would frequently retreat to safe-space interviews with preferred reporters in controlled settings. 'Cuomo's concept of toughness is muscle cars and self-mythologizing posters — because he's always been more interested in imagery than impact,' said Monica Klein, a communications consultant working for mayoral candidate Zellnor Myrie, a state senator who has not broken out of low single digits in the polls. 'It's tough to face New Yorkers, stand up for your record and present your vision to voters. Ducking press and accountability while refusing to defend your record except when legally mandated to do so is not.' She called Cuomo's approach a 'veneer of bravado' generally associated with men. Toughness for Cuomo often comes across as a form of machismo — one of his few hobbies is fixing up old hotrods — that can resonate with voters, said Democratic strategist Alexis Grenell. 'When people are feeling weak and vulnerable as many New Yorkers and Democrats are in theTrump II era, there's something seductive about it,' said Grenell, who has written in opposition to Cuomo's record, including a recent piece in The Nation titled 'Dominance Does Not Equal Competence.' 'That's when many candidates can play to those fears and take advantage of them,' she added. For City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams — one of just two women in the race — the calculus is different. Her campaign has tried to capitalize on her modest personality, framing the candidate as a quietly competent leader not interested in drama. Adrienne Adams, who would become the first Black woman elected mayor, has an even-keeled, unassuming personality — a rarity in New York politics. Her critics say she lacks the political strength to be mayor and point to her late, low-key campaign that operatives believe has promise but has failed to take off. She sings in her church choir and was urged to run by Attorney General Letitia James, a Cuomo foe. Her supporters see a clear contrast with the hard-charging former governor. 'Strength doesn't have to be loud, but you have to be concrete, you have to be thoughtful,' said Yvette Buckner, a Democratic strategist and the co-chair of The New Majority NYC, which pushed for a majority women City Council. 'You can be powerful without flexing.'
New York Times
33 minutes ago
- New York Times
The Army Was the Only Life She Knew. Trump's Trans Ban Cast Her Out.
Maj. Erica Vandal had just finished briefing 200 soldiers on her brigade's plan to employ artillery fire in a big combat training exercise. She exited the cavernous warehouse where the troops had gathered and was headed to the bathroom between sessions when her phone reconnected to the network and began pinging. Dozens of new messages flashed across her screen. One was from her mother. 'Just heard about the Supreme Court ruling,' it read. 'That totally stinks! How are you doing?' The other texts confirmed what she already assumed. The justices had ruled that President Trump could immediately begin expelling transgender troops from the military. Major Vandal, 36, and thousands of others would be forced out. It didn't seem real. She found it hard to conceive of a life outside the Army. The daughter of a three-star general, she had grown up on bases around the world and thought of them collectively as home. She had been a West Point cadet, an artillery officer and a Bronze Star recipient for her service in Afghanistan. In combat, she had taken cover in concrete bunkers from incoming Taliban rockets and, alongside her troops, fired back at the enemy. She had pushed herself to exhaustion during training exercises, then grabbed a few hours of sleep in a dusty Humvee. She had found meaning and purpose in placing her soldiers' needs ahead of her own. 'Supreme Court just ruled,' she texted her wife. 'I'm out.' Hulking Chinook helicopters thrummed overhead. Major Vandal could smell diesel fuel and dust in the air. She knew she could not lead the next planning session without falling apart, so she pulled her soldiers together and told them the news, then handed off her briefing notes and retreated to her pickup truck to call one of her lawyers. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
