| Uzbek hostage crisis | |
|---|---|
 | |
| President Stuart Hughes, Vice President Selina Meyer, Defense Secretary George Maddox, and others witness the hostage rescue operation (January 6, 2015)
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| Date | November 4, 2014 – January 6, 2015 |
| Location | Uzbekistan |
| Result | Hostages rescued safely, marine sergeant lost leg |
The Uzbek hostage crisis occurred from November 4, 2014 to January 6, 2015, in which four American students were kidnapped and held hostage. It was later revealed that one of the hostages was a CIA operative and that President Stuart Hughes lied to both the public and the congressional intelligence committees regarding the hostage situation. The aftermath led to an impeachment effort which forced Hughes to announce he wouldn't be seeking another term in the 2016 presidential election.
Crisis[]
On November 4, 2014, four college-aged Americans backpacking in Uzbekistan were captured and held hostage.
President Stuart Hughes' senior adviser Kent Davison claimed that the administration would not intervene militarily until polls supported military intervention.
Rescue mission[]
In January 2015, a rescue mission, also known as Operation Good Shepherd, was set for January 6. This coincided with Vice President Selina Meyer having to swear-in senators in the 114th United States Congress.
The four Americans taken hostage.
On January 6, Hughes, Secretary of Defense George Maddox, General Mercer, and Meyer (via webcam) met in the Situation Room. All the hostages were successfully freed without any casualties. A Marine sergeant lost a leg during the mission.
Aftermath[]
During the rescue operations, Hughes had knowledge that one of the hostages was a CIA operative and didn't inform the congressional intelligence committees. The fact that one of the hostages was a CIA operative endangered the lives of the three other hostages who weren't spies. After rumors circulated that one of the hostages was indeed a spy, Hughes promised Meyer that there were no validity to those rumors. Both publicly went on the record denying the rumors.
In January 2015, Mike McLintock, who was briefly working for Hughes strategist Kent Davison at the time, inadvertently emailed Davison's polling consultations regarding the spy out of the administration, making Hughes' lie public. Meyer, who was in Finland at the time, claimed she stood with the president.
VP Meyer and Defense Secretary Maddox at the Marine Base in Quantico; January 2015.
In February 2015, Hughes rejected a hard-wrought budget deal made by Meyer and Majority Leader Mary King. This led to a government shutdown, which Hughes intended to act as a diversion from the spy story.
Janet Ryland interview[]
In March 2015, Vice President Meyer participated in a TV interview with Janet Ryland. During the interview, Meyer avoided all questions regarding the spy story. Upon discovering that her political career is close to flatlining, Meyer lied about having full knowledge that one of the hostages was a spy. Meyer offered a heartfelt apology on behalf of the administration. Meyer's approval ratings skyrocketed following the interview, with people dubbing her the "no BS VP".
Impeachment talks[]
Congress began issuing a massive amount of subpoenas toward the Hughes administration. After State Department official Schmidt agreed to testify, the House Judiciary Committee began discussing an impeachment. The Senate, controlled by Hughes' party, turned on the president.
In April 2015, behind closed doors, Hughes announced he would not be seeking re-election in the 2016 presidential election, in a deal with party leadership to quash any impeachment efforts.
Legacy[]
The Uzbek hostage crisis and the deception following it drastically lowered Hughes' favorability, even within his own party.