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Van Hollen Leads Senators in Demand for Details, Cost of Staging Active Duty Troops in the National Capital

June 4th, 2020 by WCBC Radio

Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) joined by Senators Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), and Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) led a letter demanding answers from Defense Secretary Mark Esper about this week’s haphazard decision-making around the transfer of 1,600 active duty troops to the National Capital Region.

 

The Senators begin, “Earlier this week, the country watched in horror as U.S. military personnel and federal law enforcement were ordered to shut down peaceful protests in our nation’s capital. As tear gas and rubber bullets were being fired at peaceful protesters in Lafayette Park, approximately 1,600 additional troops were staging at military installations near the District of Columbia in anticipation of the President’s possible invocation of the Insurrection Act.”

 

On June 3, 2020, after initially ordering the troops’ return to their home bases, Secretary Esper reversed his decision and ordered them to remain. The Senators write, “we request an explanation of your initial decision and subsequent reversal, including what specific facts on the ground changed and whether you were ordered by the White House to reverse course.”

 

“To add insult to injury, the American people will have to foot the bill for these violations of their First Amendment rights. We request that the Department report to Congress not later than June 8 the total cost of staging U.S. military personnel and equipment, excluding the National Guard, at bases in the National Capital Region to date and an estimate of the ongoing cost per day to maintain this deployment,” they conclude.

5 Responses to “Van Hollen Leads Senators in Demand for Details, Cost of Staging Active Duty Troops in the National Capital”

  1. June 04, 2020 at 7:23 pm, MARIN D FORNWALT said:

    FUNNY! DUMBASSACRATS DON’T GIVE A FLYING CRAP ABOUT THE COSTS! WHEN THEY SPIN LIES FOR OVER THREE YEARS BASED ON LIES! GOING AFTER OUR PRESIDENT! OR WHEN THE MUSLIM BLACK OBAMA GAVE $140 BILLION DOLLARS TO OUR ENEMY! IRAN! OR WHEN BIDEN WITH HELD $1 BILLION FROM UKRAINE! OR WHEN KILLARY DESTROYED TOP SECRET ON HER SERVER! OR! THE $2 BILLION MORE PELOSI STOLE FROM OUR SOCIAL SECURITY! OR! LOOK AT THE DEBT! UNDER THEIR RULE HAS GROWN THAT LARGE! FUNNY! HOW WHEN OTHERS DO WHAT RIGHT! YOU ALL COME A RUNNING WITH YOUR BULLCRAP! IDIOTS!

    Reply

    • June 05, 2020 at 9:20 am, Chuck said:

      > Thank you my thinking also.

      Reply

      • June 05, 2020 at 11:32 am, Jay said:

        Spoken like a true Christian.

        Reply

    • June 05, 2020 at 11:31 am, Jay said:

      Martin, you forget to mention that Obama was born in Kenya,

      Reply

  2. June 05, 2020 at 9:27 am, Chuck said:

    Is the National Guard the well regulated militia of the 2nd Amendment?

    Reply

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