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At least three states have placed elements of their National Guard forces on standby ahead of Election Day to deal with any outbreaks of violence over the outcome.
Troops in Oregon, Washington State, and Nevada have received warning orders to prepare to deploy in response to any violence after hundreds of ballots were destroyed by arson in attacks on three ballot drop boxes, CNN reported.
According to election officials, nearly all the ballots set on fire on Monday were located in a drop box in Vancouver, Washington, while most of the ballots in a drop box in Portland, Oregon, escaped damage from a fire ignited on the same day. These incidents are thought to be linked to a third fire that occurred on October 8, also in Vancouver. Portland police have released a physical description of a suspect but have yet to identify him, the outlet added.
Washington Governor Jay Inslee (D) addressed the ballot box fires in a news release on Friday, announcing that the National Guard would be placed on standby. He said, “The southwest region of Washington State has already experienced specific instances of election-related unrest.”
Inslee did not specify the number of troops to be activated on Tuesday, but he stated that they would be available to support law enforcement from Monday through Thursday, according to the news release, CNN said.
That said, the Biden-Harris Department of Homeland Security has warned “election infrastructure” threats remain high.
“Based upon general and specific information and concerns regarding the potential for violence or other unlawful activity related to the 2024 general election, I want to ensure we are fully prepared to respond to any potential additional civil unrest,” Inslee said.
In neighboring Oregon, Democratic Gov. Tina Kotek said Guard troops in her state are on standby as political leaders urged peaceful protests of election results.
“The governor’s office is closely monitoring and coordinating with local, state and federal agencies to ensure Oregon voters can safely cast their ballot,” said a statement from her office.
While there is “no current information to suggest unrest,” Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler said, according to KTVZ, “there is a lot of uncertainty and tension in our community.”
Nevada Gov. Joe Lombardo (R) this week also announced that 60 National Guard troops are on standby “in preparation for a safe and smooth Election Day.”
“This decision, which mirrors the state’s routine preparation for past elections, was made after consultation with election officials and state leaders,” Lombardo said in a statement. “It is one of many proactive steps the state is taking to ensure all possible resources are in place for a timely response to any challenges that arise.”
Former Rep. Liz Cheney and other members of the controversial January 6 Committee established by then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi hid evidence that exonerated former President Donald Trump when he claimed he pushed for 10,000 National Guard troops to be deployed around the U.S. Capitol Building, according to a document unearthed by The Federalist earlier this year.
The outlet reported in March that “Cheney’s January 6 Committee suppressed evidence that President Donald Trump pushed for 10,000 National Guard troops to protect the nation’s capital,” adding that “Cheney and her committee falsely claimed they had ‘no evidence’ to support Trump officials’ claims the White House had communicated its desire for 10,000 National Guard troops.”
The Federalist noted further that an initial transcript of an interview conducted by the committee contained precisely such evidence from a pivotal source. This interview, which Cheney attended and actively engaged in, was withheld from public release.
The outlet noted further:
Deputy Chief of Staff Anthony Ornato’s first transcribed interview with the committee was conducted on January 28, 2022. In it, he told Cheney and her investigators that he overheard White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows push Washington D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser to request as many National Guard troops as she needed to protect the city.
He also testified President Trump had suggested 10,000 would be needed to keep the peace at the public rallies and protests scheduled for January 6, 2021. Ornato also described White House frustration with Acting Secretary of Defense Christopher Miller’s slow deployment of assistance on the afternoon of January 6, 2021.
