SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) — Governor Larry Rhoden is mobilizing South Dakota National Guardsmen to the nation’s capital.
Rhoden is sending 12 guardsmen from the 129th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment based in Rapid City. Like these National Guard soldiers from another state, the South Dakota guard members will quote “support operations in Washington D.C.” Governor Rhoden says the nation’s capital is not a safe place.
“The citizens of Washington deserve better, the citizens of the United States deserve better, that’s our capital,” said Rhoden. “We look to that as an example for the nation. So I support, fully support Trump’s wishes and desire to, and actions to make it a safer place.”
Rhoden’s predecessor, Kristi Noem, told CBS’s Face the Nation on Sunday that Washington, D.C. is much safer now, and federal resources could be used in cities around the country.
“I think there’s a lot of cities that are dealing with crime and violence right now, and so we haven’t taken anything off the table,” said Noem.
But not everyone is on board with using the military to police American citizens. State Representative Erik Muckey and other state lawmakers tell Keloland News that using the military in this way is wrong and a waste of taxpayer dollars.
“Violent crime in D.C. was down to levels not seen for the better part of 30 years. To say that there was an emergency and criminals all over the streets, especially someone who has spent time in Washington D.C. and been on those streets, this is political theater, said Muckey.
According to the Governor, the money to send the troops to D.C. will come from the Federal government under Title 32. The federal law allows Governors to activate the National Guard for domestic missions such as disaster response. Title 32 traditionally means the guardsmen are under state authority, but funded by the federal government.
“So they will be a liaison between the National Guard and the public; they’ll be under the control of the Washington, DC National Guard,” said Rhoden.
“Sending National Guard troops from South Dakota to join that political theater, when we have denied coming to South Dakota communities in actual emergencies, is a pretty big slap in the face to South Dakotans, for one, but the second part of this is, why are we funding this?” asked Muckey.
The initial deployment is expected to last for 30 days, but could be extended to 90 days under “extraordinary circumstances.”
