WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito says she knows firsthand how dangerous Washington, D.C. can be.
“I’ve had four staff members who have been attacked, two at gunpoint in D.C. in our nation’s capital,” Capito said Friday on MetroNews “Talkline.”
She backs President Donald Trump’s use of the National Guard to increase the presence of law enforcement—-and Gov. Patrick Morrisey’s decision to deploy 350 West Virginia National Guard members there.
“We have a lot of West Virginians who work there. I support what the governor has done in sending the National Guard. Hopefully, it will only be a short period of time.,” Capito said.
Morrisey announced the deployment last weekend. He was the first governor to answer the request from President Trump.
“West Virginia is proud to stand with President Trump in his effort to restore pride and beauty to our nation’s capital,” Morrisey said at the time. “The men and women of our National Guard represent the best of our state, and this mission reflects our shared commitment to a strong and secure America.”
A Friday News Nation report said West Virginia had more National Guard there than any other state.
ACLU challenge
The ACLU West Virginia and the West Virginia Citizen Action Group are challenging Morrisey’s move. A lawsuit has been filed in Kanawha County Circuit Court.
ACLU-WV Legal Director Aubrey Sparks said there’s a long list of criteria that a West Virginia governor has to meet before National Guard soldiers can be sent outside the state. She said Morrisey’s deployment falls short.
“Our argument is—it functionally boils down to–none of the standards on that list have met,” Sparks said Friday on MetroNews Midday.
The lawsuit contends that the deployment is an unprecedented political act, not a response to a genuine emergency and violates West Virginia law that outlines specific, limited circumstances for out-of-state Guard deployments.
U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Friday the Guard in some cases will be allowed to be armed. Sparks said that could create a liability issue for the state and the governor.
“Anything that increases the risk to people, either their physical safety or their legal liability, is something I think we should really be concerned about,” Sparks said.
The lawsuit has been assigned to Kanawha County Circuit Judge Richard Lindsay.
Word of caution
Capito said she makes sure those working in her office know about D.C.’s crime problems.
“I always warn, whether I have interns or new people coming into work, they have to be careful about where they go, what times they are out and don’t go anywhere alone at night,” Capito said.
She’s hopeful the use of the Guard will send a message to D.C. leaders and things can change for the better.
“Hopefully after 30 days the President has made his point, already the statistics are way, way, down, and the city will then take hold of their own safety,” Capito said.