Quiggle: Veterans group decries use of National Guard in D.C.

The Delaware Democratic Veterans and Military Families Caucus condemns the deployment of National Guard soldiers to the District of Columbia and other parts of the country. President Donald Trump is abusing his emergency powers to needlessly create an environment of fear and intimidation to serve his personal and political goals.

Our founders wisely designed a government that reduced the risks associated with an imperial presidency, including a clear understanding that the use of military force is meant to defend the country, not to dominate it.

Despite clear constitutional guidance and laws, such as the Posse Comitatus Act of 1878, Trump has taken several actions that contradict these intentions and threaten the well-being of everyone:

• He has declared emergencies where none exist, falsely claiming that violent crime is widespread, when crime rates are actually at historic lows.
• He has deployed armed military forces to carry out law enforcement operations, which is a clear violation of the Posse Comitatus Act.
• He has threatened major cities across the country with similar measures, despite there being no evidence that military action is necessary in any of them.
• His call to end mail voting directly affects service members, who are often deployed far from their homes of record, denying them the right to cast ballots.

Our cities and states are not the crime-ridden cesspools that Trump claims they are; in fact, local, regional and national law enforcement are more than capable of managing crime. His aim is intimidation, not safety.

The Delaware Democratic Veterans and Military Families Caucus urges Congress and the federal courts to take all necessary steps to prevent the president’s misuse of emergency powers and to demand the withdrawal of military forces from our streets.

For information, visit deldemvets.org.

Jeffrey Quiggle

Chair, Delaware Democratic Veterans and Military Families Caucus

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