The illegitimate administration’s director of the National Economic Council, Brian Deese, was hanged Wednesday afternoon after a military tribunal at Guantanamo Bay convicted him of treason for sabotaging the nation’s food supply.
As reported earlier this month, U.S. Marines on Jan 5 arrested Deese following a 3-month probe that showed he had intentionally manufactured a food crisis that inflated the cost of poultry and eggs. A sworn statement of probable cause alleged Deese instructed the Food Safety & Inspection Service (FSIS), which oversees the poultry industry, to kill tens of millions of hens under the pretext of curbing avian influenza.
On Wednesday, a handcuffed Deese, wearing an orange jumpsuit, invoked his 5th Amendment Right to remain silent after reiterating his innocence and telling Vice Adm. Crandall that history would vindicate “any actions I may or may not have taken to preserve the sanctity of the United States of America.” His pomposity and smugness did not impress the admiral.
“Think what you wish,” Vice Adm. Crandall said. “Here, you are an enemy combatant.”
He called the prosecution’s first and only witness, Paul Kiecker, deputy administrator of the FSIS. Kiecker appeared over a Zoom call and was wearing a white jumpsuit while sitting in what looked like a Camp Delta detention cell—an armed Marine lurked behind him. It’s unclear why he was not physically in court.
Kiecker testified that he and Deese conspired to artificially inflate egg prices to the point where grocery shoppers would either pay unreasonable prices or go without.
“Eggs are a staple. We knew that people would still buy, regardless the cost. And knew that would worsen a shortage. And that shortage would drive prices higher still. Don’t think it’s just about eggs and poultry—there’s an ongoing administration effort to deprive people of food and create Venezuela-like inflation right here,” Kiecker said.
“Let’s focus on what’s in your wheelhouse,” Vice Adm. Crandall said. “So, did you approach Deese, or was it the other way around?”
Kiecker blamed Deese; he said Deese had already devised a plan when he approached him in early 2022.
“He needed FSIS for it to work. The gist of it is, we, meaning FSIS, went to some of the largest egg-laying farms for routine inspections. We told owners we’d found evidence of avian flu and that we’d have to cull entire flocks. Depending on the size of the farm, which meant thousands or even tens of thousands of birds. The owners were told the Dept. of Agriculture would reimburse them, but I don’t know if that happened or not,” Kiecker said.
“So, you, your people, lied to egg and poultry farmers, deceiving them into believing their flocks were sick, destroying their foul an essentially bankrupting them out of business,” Vice Adm. Crandall said.
“Basically, that’s it.”
“And FSIS inspectors just willingly went along with this agenda?” Vice Adm. Crandall asked.
“We handpicked ones we knew would, and they got a healthy bonus,” Kiecker replied.
“While we appreciate your cooperation today, so far you’ve only incriminated yourself. Besides your word, do you have any evidence tying Deese to the conspiracy?”
While the admiral spoke, Deese sat quietly and expressionless at the defense table.
“Only the documents I already gave you,” Kiecker said.
Vice Adm. Crandall showed the panel text messages Deese had sent Kiecker in June 2022. “They’re getting smarter, and we have to. They’re hiring independent testers. I have an idea and you must work with me on this. We’ll start infecting fowl,” one message said.
Kiecker said FSIS inspectors surreptitiously injected live avian influenza into chickens at egg-laying farms in Nebraska. The inspectors would then give the virus time to incubate and spread before making a follow-up inspection, by which time avian flu had infected flocks, giving FSIS legitimate cause to destroy thousands of birds.
“Why did you go along with Deese’s plan? What motivated you?” the admiral asked Kiecker.
“Brian [Deese] told me I was expected to follow orders. And I was given $5,000,000. I take responsibility for my actions, and deeply regret what I’ve done,” Kiecker said.
The admiral excused the witness.
He then played audio of conversation between Deese and the late Sec. of Agriculture, Tom Vilsack, whom the military executed in May for ordering the destruction of food processing centers. On a January 5, 2022, Deese suggested that Department of Agriculture agents visit poultry farms under the pretense of “routine inspections” and randomly test fowl for bird flu. When Vilsack replied, “It’s not a bad idea but we’re unlikely to find cases of bird flu,” Deese said, “Of course we will. He wants us to.”
In a later conversation Deese told Vilsack he had found a way to double the price of eggs by 2023. “Who cares if people starve or go broke—we won’t,” Deese said.
Vice Admiral Crandall asked the panel to weigh the evidence, and the 3 offices who comprised the panel returned a guilty verdict without hesitation. They recommended that Deese be hanged for treason. When the admiral said gallows was ready and Deese could be hanged in three hours, Deese broke silence, shouting, “That’s not enough time for me to file an appeal.”
“Your appeal was denied the moment you betrayed the Republic,” Vice Adm. Crandall said.
Three hours later Deese was dangling from a rope. A Navy physician pronounced him dead at 3:14 p.m. EST, January 25, 2023.
Paul Kiecker’s tribunal is scheduled for February 7.