Illinois Gov. Pritzker Blocks Troops from Helping Chicago, Sends Them to D.C. Instead
Illinois Democrat Gov. J.B. Pritzker has authorized the use of 500 Illinois National Guard members for Washington, DC, claiming there is a “heightened threat environment” in the nation’s Capital.
“The U.S. Department of Defense has asked Illinois to assist federal and local agencies in this continued effort, and Major General Neely and I are ready to ensure that the state of Illinois continues its proud legacy of protecting our democracy,” Pritzker said in a statement on Friday, according to the Chicago Sun-Times.
Without evidence, the billionaire politician blamed “racism” for the need to send Illinois troops to D.C.
“Ultimately, we must root out the dark forces of racism, white supremacy, and disinformation that have created this moment, but until we do that, our extraordinary troops will deploy with honor,” he claimed.
Officials say that the state’s National Guard soldiers, along with a small contingent of Guard airmen, will remain in the Capital until mid-March.
The redeployment comes weeks after the Capitol Building incursion that occurred for a few hours on Jan. 6. That same day, Pritzker also deployed 250 National Guard soldiers to the state capital after unfounded rumors circulated that protesters planned to gather there on Joe Biden’s inauguration day. However, the day came and went and no such gathering occurred.
Gov. Pritzker refused to activate National Guard troops to send to Chicago to tamp down the dozens of very real, destructive Black Lives Matter riots that coursed through the city last year.
Pritzker even rejected calls by President Donald Trump to send in the military to stop the months of violence erupting across the city. Pritzker was one of the first Democrat governors to reject Trump’s call to quell the rioting.
At the time, the governor said that the call for troops to enter Chicago was “wrongheaded.”
At one point, the Illinois governor insisted that Trump would be acting like a “dictator” if he sent troops to Chicago to stop the massive rioting.
The governor never did send any troops to stop the wave after wave of violence that is said to have caused damage exceeding $20 million, according to sources.
Follow Warner Todd Huston on Facebook at: facebook.com/Warner.Todd.Huston.
Comments are closed.