Joe Manchin, a former senator and governor, says he does not question the declaration of a crime emergency in Washington, D.C., that has sent members of the West Virginia National Guard to patrol the nation’s capital.
“Anytime the president united states declares a national emergency, you don’t question that. You help any way possible,” Manchin, a political independent said on MetroNews Talkline.
But Manchin said it would be good if the members of the West Virginia National Guard who remain in the District of Columbia could return home for the holidays.
“I think it would be a wonderful Christmas gift, if you will, to the people of West Virginia, if we could start returning our troops home, if that’s possible,” Manchin said, suggesting that Guard members from other states could rotate in if a presence remains necessary.
West Virginia has an estimated 160 to 170 National Guard members who have remained in Washington, D.C., in a response to a call from the governor for volunteers.
Two members of the West Virginia National Guard were shot last month while on duty near a Metro public transportation stop. West Virginia National Guard Specialist Sarah Beckstrom, 20, died of her injuries. U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe, 24, has remained in critical condition.
“I’m just saying, after the tragedy we’ve gone through losing one of our soldiers in Sarah Beckstrom and having Andrew Wolf critically injured, there’s a lot of trauma going on, I’m sure, with the troops there,” Manchin said.
Less than a week before the attack on the Guard members, a federal judge ruled that deployment of the National Guard from several states, including West Virginia, to Washington, D.C., has been unlawful. That ruling is under appeal.
On August 11, President Donald Trump declared a “crime emergency” for the District of Columbia, and five days later Gov. Patrick Morrisey deployed 300 to 400 members of the West Virginia National Guard for support.
The president’s emergency declaration, which placed the Metropolitan Police Department under federal direction, expired after 30 days, Sept. 10, but the National Guard presence has continued.
Last month, the West Virginia National Guard announced participation in patrols in Washington, D.C., would continue until the end of the year. However, West Virginia’s participation was already being scaled back, with about 160 to 170 volunteers remaining in the deployment. The remainder returned home.
About 2,000 members of the National Guard, overall, have been deployed to Washington, D.C., to patrol on the National Mall, in Metro public transportation stations and across D.C. neighborhoods.
Senator Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., has supported the presence of the National Guard in D.C., citing downward trends on murders, car jackings, robberies, car thefts and overall violent crime statistics.
Asked by MetroNews today if that would require the National Guard to remain in Washington, D.C. indefinitely — or whether an end date or standard for drawdown should be in effect — the senator said she anticipates a conclusion at some point, although she was not specific about the conditions she foresees.
“I think it’s rather open ended right now, but I do think it will end. I do think that working with the DC Metropolitan Police, with the DC National Guard, I know that they have brought statistics down on violent crime, carjackings and assaults. So it’s effective. It’s very effective, and we want D.C. to be safe,” she said.
“But I do envision a day when other Guard members from other states, particularly West Virginia, will no longer be in D.C.”
The Democratic caucus in the state Legislature has formally requested an oversight hearing during January interim meetings to examine the circumstances surrounding the deployment of West Virginia National Guard members to Washington, D.C.
The proposed hearing would require testimony from leaders of the West Virginia National Guard and representatives from the Office of the Governor. Democrats say it is a necessary step to ensure future deployments are made lawfully, purposefully, and with appropriate safeguards.
“West Virginians deserve transparency and accountability — especially when it comes to decisions involving the safety of our Guard members,” said House Minority Leader Sean Hornbuckle, D-Cabell, speaking on behalf of the House Democratic Caucus.
“We must fully understand the legal authority, mission objectives, and risk assessment that led to this deployment.”