Matt Gaetz suddenly concerned that DC is under military 'occupation'
The National Guard was deployed to protect Washington after the Capitol was attacked by Trump supporters.
Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) on Monday night described the National Guard troops deployed to secure Washington, D.C., after the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol as an “occupation.”
Gaetz’s comments came during an appearance on Fox News’ “Hannity.”
“I don’t want to give the Democrats any more of a basis to be able to have this forever occupation of Washington, D.C.,” he said. “We now have a capital city wrapped in barbed wire, crisscrossed in barricades, and it is not what our country deserves.”
Gaetz also said he had concerns about giving House Speaker Nancy Pelosi what he called “a predicate for that extended occupation.”
National Guard troops were deployed to Washington after the attack on the Capitol by pro-Trump rioters that resulted in the deaths of five people.
Law enforcement is continuing to monitor threats against members of Congress, an official told the Associated Press, since the inauguration of President Joe Biden on Jan. 20, leading them to request that Guard troops remain in the city.
Gaetz did not express similar concerns about “occupation” when the National Guard was deployed to Washington during Black Lives Matter protests in the summer of 2020.
From the Jan. 15 edition of Fox News’ “Hannity”:
MATT GAETZ: Let me caution against leaning too hard into the “What did Nancy Pelosi know and when did she know it?” narrative, I don’t want to give the Democrats any more of a basis to be able to have this forever occupation of Washington, D.C.
Jason’s right, we now have a capital city wrapped in barbed wire, crisscrossed in barricades, and it is not what our country deserves. So let’s not help Nancy Pelosi and the Democrats build a predicate for that extended occupation.
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.
Recommended
Unearthed audio reveals Republican Marc Molinaro’s anti-abortion views
Molinaro opposed the Women’s Health Protection Act in January 2023.
By Jesse Valentine - March 19, 2024NC GOP Rep. Richard Hudson praises controversial governor candidate
Republican governor candidate Mark Robinson opposes abortion in all cases and says LGBTQ people are “maggots”
By Jesse Valentine - March 15, 2024U.S. House Speaker Johnson says IVF should be protected — just not by Congress
U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson said Thursday that it’s up to states and not Congress to preserve access to in vitro fertilization, weighing in on a growing national debate and campaign issue.
By Jennifer Shutt, States Newsroom - March 14, 2024