National Guardsmen banished to garage allowed back in Capitol after Congress unites in rage | Print this article
Congress joined in a united front on President Biden s first full day in office. All it took was a controversy involving thousands of National Guardsmen being relegated during their breaks to a parking garage.
Lawmakers across the political spectrum reacted with outrage as reports Thursday evening came in about the soldiers being forced to vacate congressional grounds after spending two weeks protecting Washington, D.C., following a deadly riot at the Capitol on Jan. 6. At this point, with Biden s inauguration days behind the nation s Capital, 15,000 National Guard members are preparing to leave and head home, while just 10,600 remain on duty.
ABC News
Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest?
OffOn
Members reached out as the Capitol Police denied responsibility.
• 7 min read
Catch up on the developing stories making headlines.Sen. Tim Scott
Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle expressed outrage Friday at images of National Guard members, sent from around the country to secure the Capitol, resting and sleeping in nearby parking garages. I have told those who run the security at the Capitol that it can never happen again, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said on the Senate floor Friday. I have pledged to every National Guard member it will not happen again. The minute I heard about this outrage last night we made sure it was fixed immediately. Every member of the Guard was found proper accommodations inside and as of this morning everyone was accounted for and taken care of this. This morning I went over to the CVC (Capitol Visitors Center) and I spoke to a number of Guardsmen perso
Gov. DeSantis orders Florida National Guard to return home from U.S. Capitol
File
and last updated 2021-01-22 10:18:46-05
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) â Gov. Ron DeSantis has ordered the Florida National Guard soldiers stationed at the U.S. Capitol to return home.
Gov. DeSantis said he ordered Floridaâs Adjutant General to bring the soldiers home Thursday night.
Last night, I ordered our Adjutant General to bring Florida National Guard soldiers home from the National Capital Region. Ron DeSantis (@GovRonDeSantis) January 22, 2021
The announcement comes after POLITICO, who first broke the news, Washington Post and CNN reported that thousands of National Guard troops were forced to vacate congressional office buildings at the Capitol on Thursday, the order from Capitol Police allegedly forcing them to rest in nearby parking structures.
Neil Trugman January 22, 2021
I have been a member of the law enforcement community for 47 years - 31 with the Metropolitan Police Department in Washington, D.C., 18 months with the United States Capitol Police, in which I was assigned to the Office of Intelligence, and nearly 15 years with the nation’s Amtrak Police Department where I retired as the chief of police this past July. My wife, Kristan, held high-level civilian positions within the USCP and the Senate Sergeant at Arms Office.
As were most Americans, I was shocked to witness the series of events Jan. 6 at our nation’s Capitol Building. Here is my story: In 1973 I left Brooklyn, N.Y., to fulfill my childhood dream of being a cop.
Updated: 10:33 AM EST Jan 22, 2021 WXII12.com Web Staff North Carolina Rep. Madison Cawthorn showed his appreciation for the U.S. National Guard units stationed at the U.S. Capitol by delivering pizza to them Thursday night.National Guard troops who protected the Capitol for President Biden s inauguration were told to sleep in a parking garage after they were told they could no longer use space within the U.S. Capitol complex.Outraged by the sight, Rep. Cawthorn posted on social media overnight, I just visited the soldiers who have been abandoned & insulted by our leaders. I brought them pizza and told them that they can sleep in my office. No soldier will ever, ever sleep on a garage floor in the US Capitol while I work in Congress. Our Troops deserve better. Cawthorn represents North Carolina s 11th congressional district, which includes most of western North Carolina, after winning the 2020 election. After Cawthorn and other lawmakers voiced their outrage