Lawmakers Outraged At Images Of National Guard Sent From Capitol To Parking Garages
Members reached out as the Capitol Police denied responsibility.
On Location: January 7, 2022
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 and I spoke to a number of Guardsmen personally to make sure they were okay.”
Minority Leader Mitch McConnell echoed Schumer’s sentiment.
“I don’t think a single senator finds that acceptable,” McConnell said. “I’m glad the situation was resolved and I hope we learn exactly what happened.”
The No. 3 Senate Republican John Thune said he had reached out to members of the South Dakota National Guard.
“It breaks your heart. I mean these are people who are here serving the country, protecting us, protecting our freedom and our democracy and there’s absolutely no excuse for that and I’m glad it got corrected and corrected quickly. That was just flat wrong.” Thune said.
National Guard Troops Seen Sleeping In Capitol In Striking Photos
The security presence around the Capitol building is robust exactly one week before the inauguration of President-elect Joe Biden and one week after a mob of pro-Trump rioters stormed the seat of the legislative branch of the U.S. government.
Since late Tuesday, law enforcement has descended on Washington in great numbers, including 1,000 armed National Guard troops, who slept inside the Capitol overnight, NBC News’ Tom Costello reported on TODAY Wednesday. The soldiers were carrying semiautomatic weapons “in the event of trouble,” he said.
NBC News congressional correspondent Leigh Ann Caldwell also witnessed the scene: hundreds of officers lying down on the floor of Emancipation Hall and the Capitol Visitor Center, which is connected to the Capitol through underground tunnels.
I cant believe how many troops are here,” Caldwell said she heard one troop remark early Wednesday.
Another photo, by Wall Street Journal reporter Lindsay Wise, shows the Statue of Freedom in the foreground with dozens of uniformed troops getting some shut-eye in the background.
A model of the statue of Freedom overlooks scores of U.S. troops deployed to the Capitol to protect Congress as the House prepares to impeach President Trump a 2nd time, on Jan. 13, 2021.
Lindsay Wise
National Guard Troops Sleep On Capitol Floor As House Nears Trump Impeachment Vote
Security tightens at Capitol amid threats of violence, upcoming inauguration
Hundreds of National Guard members gathered on the floor of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 13, as lawmakers neared the second impeachment of President Donald Trump in the wake of a deadly siege by his supporters.
WASHINGTON – Hundreds of National Guard troops were pictured sleeping on the floor of the U.S. Capitol, called in to help protect the area a week after President Donald Trumps supporters stormed the building in a deadly siege leaving concerns for security in the days leading up to President-elect Joe Bidens inauguration.
As many napped on the cold marble floor in the Congressional Visitor Center early Wednesday, the House moved toward impeaching Trump for a second time. Trump, facing a single charge of “incitement of insurrection,” encouraged the mob of loyalists on Jan. 6 to “fight like hell” against election results just before they stormed the U.S. Capitol.
The National Guard members were pictured resting on the floor, many armed, with riot shields stacked nearby in the visitor center, a large underground addition to the Capitol complex.
Several National Guard members are pictured lying on the floor of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 13, 2021, called into to help protect the building and Washington, D.C. area in the wake of the deadly siege by a pro-Trump mob a week prior. (Photo credit: Jo
Lone Capitol Police Officer Faces Protesters During Building Breach
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National Guard Troops Seen Sleeping In Us Capitol Building Ahead Of Impeachment Vote
Hundreds of U.S. National Guard members were seen getting some rest ahead of what is expected to be a tumultuous day in Washington, D.C.
On Wednesday, Jan. 13, The House of Representatives is pursuing an article of impeachment against President Donald Trump for his role in inciting an angry mob to storm the Capitol last week. In the early hours of Wednesday morning, National Guard members were seen sleeping on the floor in hallways, stairwells and concourses.
“The short answer is duty and resilience. It is not out of the ordinary for soldiers and airmen, especially for MP and security forces units to sleep when and wherever possible to maintain vigilance at their posts,” National Guard Bureau spokesman Air Force Maj. Matt Murphy told Connecting Vets Wednesday morning, when asked why they were sleeping in the building.
Up to 15,000 units have been approved for use at the Capitol on Wednesday.
Key Figures In The Jan 6 Inquiry
The House investigation.A select committee is scrutinizing the causes of the at the U.S. Capitol, which occurred as Congress met to formalize Joe Bidens election victory amid various efforts to overturn the results. Here are some people being examined by the panel:
Donald Trump.The former presidents movement and communications on Jan. 6 appear to be a focus of the inquiry. But Mr. Trump has attempted to shield his records, invoking executive privilege. The dispute is making its way through the courts.
Mr. Trumps chief of staff, who initially provided the panel with a trove of documents that showed the extent of his role in the efforts to overturn the election, is now refusing to cooperate. The House voted to recommend holding Mr. Meadows in criminal contempt of Congress.
Scott Perry and Jim Jordan.The Republican representatives of Pennsylvania and Ohio are among a group of G.O.P. congressmen who were deeply involved in efforts to overturn the election. Mr. Perry has refused to meet with the panel.
Phil Waldron.The retired Army colonel has been under scrutiny since a 38-page PowerPoint documenthe circulated on Capitol Hill was turned over to the panel by Mr. Meadows. The document contained extreme plans to overturn the election.
Steve Bannon.The former Trump aide has been charged with contempt of Congress for refusing to comply with a subpoena, claiming protection under executive privilege even though he was an outside adviser. His trial is scheduled for next summer.
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National Guard Troops Kicked Out Of Senate Are Back In Capitol Following Outrage From Lawmakers Public
Update: National Guard troops forced to move out of the Capitol complex Thursday evening have been allowed to return following an outpouring of outrage from lawmakers and the public.
Brig. Gen. Janeen Birckhead, Inauguration Task Force Commander, confirms that troops are out of the garage and back into the Capitol building as authorized by the USCP Watch Commander and the troops will take their breaks near Emancipation Hall going forward, according to a statement to Military Times by Air Force Maj. Matthew Murphy, a National Guard Bureau spokesman. Our troops are going to hotel rooms or other comfortable accommodations at the end of their shifts.
National Guard troops forced to move out of the Capitol complex told Military Times they were finally allowed to return late Thursday evening.
Because of the MASSIVE backlash over this, we are now being allowed back into the Senate building, one National Guard soldier told Military Times. Were going to make a big show of marching back into the building.
Another soldier told Military Times that we were in the Thurgood Marshall Judicial Center parking garage and they kicked us out of that parking garage to make us walk half a mile away to the Hart Senate Office Building parking garage where we cant be seen.
Both soldiers spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to talk to reporters.
The move back to the Capitol came after a tremendous reaction by lawmakers and the public.
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Weary National Guard troops have taken to sleeping in the halls of the US Capitol as they dig in to defend the seat of American democracy, guarding it against further attacks in the wake of the deadly Jan. 6 riot.
Surreal images captured early Wednesday show the battle-ready troops curled up on the floor of the building, trying to get some shuteye many with their assault rifles propped up within arms reach.
In one photo, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer walks around the sprawled-out guardians as hearings convened to impeach President Trump over the very riot that sparked the troops presence.
Shortly after a Jan. 6 rally speech in which President Trump urged supporters to fight like hell against Congress certification of Joe Bidens election win, hordes swarmed the Capitol in a siege that sent lawmakers fleeing and left five people dead, including a police officer.
In the days since, thousands of National Guard troops have descended on Washington, DC from across the country, helping to fortify the Capitol against repeat attacks, particularly with Bidens inauguration looming on Jan. 20.
You can expect to see somewhere upwards of beyond 20,000 members of the National Guard that will be here in the footprint of the District of Columbia, Robert Contee, the acting chief of DCs Metropolitan Police Department, said Wednesday.
It was the first time troops have bivouacked in the Capitol since the US Civil War in the 1860s, a House security official told Bloomberg News.
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Washington Dc Is On High Alert After The Storming Of The Us Capitol And With A Week Left Of Trumps Term
Some of the 10,000 National Guard troops streaming into Washington, DC to help secure the area ahead of President-elect Joe Bidens inauguration will be armed, two US officials said on Tuesday.
The decision by US Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy comes as the FBI has warned of armed protests being planned for Washington in the run-up to the January 20 swearing-in ceremony.
The US officials, speaking on the condition of anonymity, did not say how many would be armed but noted that Guard troops helping secure the Capitol building would have weapons.
One of the officials said the troops would not be the first line of defence and would be supporting law enforcement agencies, but given the threat around the Capitol, troops needed to be equipped with their weapons for self-defence.
The army did not immediately comment.
Last Wednesday, hundreds of supporters of President Donald Trump ransacked the Capitol building as Congress was in session to certify Bidens win, battling with police, sending legislators fleeing for safety and leaving five dead.
The National Guard has been authorised to send up to 15,000 troops to Washington, and tourists have been barred from visiting the Washington Monument until January 24.
The chief of the National Guard Bureau, General Daniel Hokanson, told reporters on Monday that he expected about 10,000 troops in Washington by Saturday to help provide security, logistics and communications.
National Guards Capitol Security Mission Ends As Lawmakers Feud Over Protection Needs Costs
National Guard personnel will fully depart the U.S. Capitol grounds this week, military and congressional officials said Monday, bringing an end to the security mission that began when armed troops were dispatched to help quell the attack by supporters of former president Donald Trump.
The National Guard was deployed Jan. 6 to help beat back a crowd of about 10,000 rioters who had besieged the building and clear out the approximately 800 who had broken inside. Why it took the National Guard more than three hours after the breach to arrive continues to be a matter of contentious discussion on Capitol Hill, where House lawmakers recently grilled Trumps former acting defense secretary for details about that day.
These airmen and soldiers protected not only the grounds, but the lawmakers working on those grounds, ensuring the peoples business could continue unabated, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said in a statement. They lived out in very tangible ways the oath they took to support and defend the Constitution.
Though their mission formally ended Sunday, about 1,700 troops from nine states and Washington, D.C., remain in the District pending departures scheduled through Wednesday, according to Air Force Capt. Chelsi Johnson, a D.C. Guard spokesperson.
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National Guard: President Biden Apologises Over Troops Sleeping In Car Park
US President Joe Biden has apologised after some members of the National Guard stationed at the Capitol were pictured sleeping in a car park.
More than 25,000 troops were deployed to Washington DC for his inauguration after violence earlier this month.
Images spread on Thursday showing them forced to rest in a nearby parking garage after lawmakers returned.
The conditions sparked anger among politicians, and some state governors recalled troops over the controversy.
Mr Biden called the chief of the National Guard Bureau on Friday to apologise and ask what could be done, according to US media reports.
First Lady Jill Biden also visited some of the troops to thank them personally, bringing biscuits from the White House as a gift.
“I just wanted to come today to say thank you to all of you for keeping me and my family safe,” she said.
The photographs showing hundreds of troops in a parking garage went viral on Thursday and sparked outrage, including from members of Congress.
Our troops deserve the utmost honor & respect for securing the Capitol & defending democracy this week. This is unconscionable & unsafe. Whoeverâs decision this was to house our National Guardsmen & women in underground parking lots must be held accountable.
Tim Scott
Many voiced concerns about the conditions, with guardsmen exposed to car fumes and without proper access to facilities like toilets after having been on alert for days.
Guard Troops Photographed Napping In Capitol Were On Break Army Official Says
The National Guard troops photographed napping on the marble floors of the U.S. Capitol’s visitor center Tuesday night were not sleeping on guard duty, according to an Army official.
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“That’s the good ole National Guard for ya. You would never see Marines sleeping on the job. Who needs sleep?” one commenter wrote.
But the Guard members, who are pulling 12-hour shifts, were on an authorized break and permitted to relax and even catch a catnap, according to an Army official, who was not authorized to speak officially on the photographs.
“It’s an approved break area for soldiers on break during 12-hour shifts,” the official told Military.com. “And this is not where they are sleeping when they get off shift.”
The Pentagon has authorized up to 15,000 National Guard troops to be mobilized to help federal and local law enforcement secure the inauguration area and key monuments in the city. The move came after Trump supporters escalated a rally into a siege of the Capitol on Jan. 6 as lawmakers were meeting for the official count of Electoral College votes to affirm Biden’s victory in the Nov. 3 election.
While not on duty, Guard troops are lodging in local hotels under a Title 32 mobilization, which puts Guard members under state control while receiving pay and benefits from the federal government.
— Matthew Cox can be reached at .
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Us Capitol Halls Lined With Sleeping National Guard Troops
National Guard members sleep in the U.S. Capitol before Democrats begin debating one article of impeachment against against President Trump, January 13. REUTERS/Joshua Roberts
National Guard members sleep at the U.S. Capitol, January 13. REUTERS/Joshua Roberts
National Guard members sleep in the Capitol Vistor’s Center, January 13. REUTERS/Joshua Roberts
National Guard members sleep at the U.S. Capitol, January 13. REUTERS/Joshua Roberts
National Guard members sleep in the Dirksen Senate Office Building, January 13. REUTERS/Joshua Roberts
National Guard members resting at the U.S. Capitol, January 13. REUTERS/Joshua Roberts
National Guard members sleeping at the U.S. Capitol, January 13. REUTERS/Joshua Roberts
National Guard members sleeping at the U.S. Capitol, January 13. REUTERS/Joshua Roberts
National Guard members sleep at the U.S. Capitol, January 13. REUTERS/Joshua Roberts
National Guard members gather and rest at the U.S. Capitol, January 13. REUTERS/Joshua Roberts
National Guard members assemble in the Capitol Visitor’s Center, January 13. REUTERS/Joshua Roberts
National Guard members sleeping in the Dirksen Senate Office Building, January 13. REUTERS/Joshua Roberts
National Guard members sleeping at the U.S. Capitol, January 13. REUTERS/Joshua Roberts
National Guard members walk through the U.S. Capitol, January 13. REUTERS/Joshua Roberts
National Guard members assemble in the Capitol Visitor’s Center, January 13. REUTERS/Joshua Roberts
National Guard Troops Who Protected The Capitol For Bidens Inauguration Were Told To Sleep In A Parking Garage
By John Ismay and Glenn Thrush
National Guard troops brought in to protect Joseph R. Biden Jr.s inauguration were ordered to sleep in an unheated garage hours after being booted from the Capitol on Thursday, prompting an uproar among lawmakers who scrambled to move them back.
On Friday, Gov. Chris Sununu of New Hampshire demanded that states troops be sent home.
Ive ordered the immediate return of all New Hampshire National Guard from Washington D.C., Mr. Sununu, a moderate Republican, . They did an outstanding job serving our nations capital in a time of strife and should be graciously praised, not subject to substandard conditions.
The Pentagon, which oversees deployment of the Guard, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The troops in the garage were among the more than 20,000 National Guard personnel who provided security for the inauguration on Wednesday. They were relocated on Thursday afternoon to the nearby Thurgood Marshall Federal Judiciary Building, said Capt. Edwin Nieves Jr., the spokesman for the Washington, D.C., branch of the National Guard.
Early Friday morning, the D.C. Guard said that the soldiers had been moved back to the Capitol from the parking garage. Capt. Nieves said that they would take future breaks near Emancipation Hall, a part of the Capitol complex.
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