Let’s Talk About The DC National Guard And January 6
Updated: Oct 28, 2021
Republicans Jim Jordan, Jim Banks and Kevin McCarthy accused Nancy Pelosi of blocking the District of Columbia National Guard from coming to the Capitol during the Jan 6 insurrection. This is another example of Congressional Republicans trying to cover up, protect and defend these domestic terrorists, the GOPQ and Trump.
So let’s look at the DC National Guard regarding Jan 6. Let’s be clear: No one wearing a National Guard uniform is responsible for what occurred on the 6th, and neither is Nancy Pelosi.
The DC National Guard was restrained by orders dated Jan 4, 2021, from Secretary of Defense Christopher C. Miller. These orders were in response to the District of Columbia’s request for the National Guard’s presence at the “planned demonstration.”
Read the orders for yourself. They say, in part: “Without my subsequent, personal authorization, the DCNG is not authorized the following:
To be issued weapons, ammunition, bayonets, batons, or ballistic protection equipment such as helmets, and body armor.
To interact physically with protestors, except when necessary in self-defense or defense of others, consistent with the DCNG Rules for the Use of Force.
To employ any riot control agents.
To share equipment with law enforcement agencies.
To use Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) assets or to conduct ISR or Incident, Awareness, and Assessment activities.
To employ helicopters or any other air assets.
To conduct searches, seizures, arrests, or other similar direct law enforcement activity.
To seek support from any non-DCNG National Guard units. […]
You may employ the DCNG Quick Reaction Force (QRF) only as a last resort and in response to a request from an appropriate civil authority. If the QRF is so employed, DCNG personnel will be clearly marked and/or distinguished from civilian law enforcement personnel, and you will notify me immediately upon your authorization.”
Why would Miller issue such a focused response?
Newsweek reported that on January 3, 2021, Trump told Miller to do whatever was necessary to protect demonstrators who, he said, were exercising their constitutional rights. The guidance was to limit the DC National Guard. Rewind to Jan 6, and all of us watching the nationally televised insurrection knew there were logistical failures in response to these domestic terrorists but specifically what happed to the DC National Guard? We all saw the DCNG using excessive force when clearing the protestors from Lafayette Square for Trump’s photo-op. So where were they now?
On July 27, four Capitol Police officers gave harrowing testimony on their experience defending the capitol on Jan 6 before the select committee investigating the insurrection. They fought the insurrectionists for hours without any backup. So where were the DCNG on Jan 6.
Who is responsible for the failures of the DC National Guard? Look to the White House. The National Guard guidance came from the Acting Secretary of Defense based on an order from the Commander-in-Chief. So Trump was ultimately responsible. Let’s be clear: the person responsible for slowing down the DCNG’s response is the same person responsible for starting the insurrection.
Editor’s note: Snopes.com confirmed the veracity of this memo after it was questioned on social media.
Photo by Stephen D. Melkisethian licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0