SC Democrats condemn McMaster’s decision to send troops to D.C.

COLUMBIA, SC (WOLO) — South Carolina Senate Democrats are condemning Governor Henry McMaster’s decision to send SC National Guard troops to Washington, D.C.

McMaster’s decision joins that of Ohio and West Virginia’s Republican governors who are also sending troops to the nation’s capital. The men and women of the National Guard will support federal law enforcement activities under president Trump’s executive order to restore law and order in the District of Columbia.

The Office of the Governor says the troops are subject to immediate recall if a hurricane or other natural disaster requires their return to SC, with the order coming at the request of the Pentagon’s National Guard Bureau. The deployment will be funded by the federal government under Title 32.

Via social media, several Senators are calling the move “reckless,” “dangerous,” and “irresponsible.”

In a statement, the SC Senate Democratic Caucus calls on McMaster to reconsider his decision, saying, the caucus “strongly condemns Governor Henry McMaster’s decision to deploy 200 members of the South Carolina National Guard to Washington, D.C. during hurricane season. This action puts South Carolinians at risk by prioritizing partisan politics in Washington over the safety and security of families here at home.” Minority Leader Brad Hutto adding, “Our Guard members should be on standby to protect our people and communities, not fulfill a political mission in Washington.”

Senator Deon Tedder of District 42 released a statement saying in part, “Our Guard is meant to serve the people of South Carolina first. The governor should be strengthening our disaster preparedness, not weakening it to serve political interests in Washington. If a storm were to make landfall tomorrow, we would be forced to answer a painful question: why weren’t all of our resources here at home, ready to protect South Carolinians?”

Senator Tameika Isaac Devine of District 19 released a statement saying in part, “These men and women are not bargaining chips for partisan politics, they are the very people we depend on when disaster strikes. Every South Carolinian knows how quickly a storm can turn our lives upside down, yet the Governor is sending away those who would be first on the ground to protect us.”

State Senator Karl Allen also released the following statement, saying in part, “This is a dangerous political stunt that prioritizes Washington over the safety of South Carolinians.”