The National Guard’s top general told Congress on Friday that it would follow the Constitution and the law when he was asked about the possibility President Donald Trump would order troops to polling places for the midterm elections.
The remarks at a U.S. House Appropriations subcommittee hearing came as Democratic lawmakers also voiced unease over the continuing deployment of nearly 2,500 National Guard members in Washington, D.C.
Federal law prohibits the deployment of the military to polling places unless necessary “to repel armed enemies of the United States” and violations are punishable by up to five years in prison.
I guess it’s okay that they’re not following federal law though? I wish we could believe them.
I am far more worried about whatever the administration is planning on as far as the DHS is concerned. The PATRIOT act has granted them extraordinary powers in relation to fighting ‘terrorism’ without bothering to strictly define what ‘terrorism’ is… this administration has shown a gleeful willingness to apply that label to their political opposition.
At least National Guard members actually live in the communities that they would be asked to attack (however the administration may phrase it).
That kind of depends on the size of the state. Also, if you look at the 1970 Kent State shootings, the national guard will/can do some shitty stuff if they’re under shitty leadership. Just like the military.
Not true, if Trump federalizes the Guard, they can send whoever pretty much wherever. Now that “guy next door” is a chud from Idaho.