Democrats Scramble To Save Face After National Guard ‘Banished’ To Parking Garage Following Biden Inauguration

Several lawmakers expressed outrage following a report that National Guard troops had been “banished” to a parking garage after serving to defend against potential threats at the inauguration of President Biden.

Politico reported Thursday night that U.S. Capitol Police officials had the Guard troops removed from the facilities “sending them outdoors or to nearby parking garages after two weeks pulling security duty” following the Capitol riots in early January.

The report notes that outdoor temperatures in the area fell into the 40s, while conditions inside the parking garage for one unit of 5,000 consisted of just one electrical outlet and one bathroom.

One Guardsman conveyed his feelings about the situation to Politico.

“Yesterday dozens of senators and congressmen walked down our lines taking photos, shaking our hands and thanking us for our service,” he said.

“Within 24 hours, they had no further use for us and banished us to the corner of a parking garage,” the Guardsman added. “We feel incredibly betrayed.”

RELATED: 12 National Guardsmen Removed From Biden Inauguration For Alleged Ties To Right-Wing Groups

National Guard Troops Banished To Garage Following Biden Inauguration

A CNN report shortly thereafter indicated the National Guard troops had been “banished” to the garage but were “allowed back into the Capitol Complex” following an outcry from lawmakers in both parties.

The initial move to force them into a garage reflected poorly on Democrats considering the troops were used to help defend the inauguration of one of their own party members.

Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), an Iraq war veteran, tweeted, “Just made a number of calls and have been informed Capitol Police have apologized to the Guardsmen and they will be allowed back into the complex tonight. I’ll keep checking to make sure they are.”

Her Senate colleague Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ) also took to Twitter writing, “This is outrageous, shameful, and incredibly disrespectful to the men and women keeping the U.S. Capitol safe and secure. We need it fixed and we need answers on how it happened.”

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), who typically despises law and order, chimed in.

Even Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA) gave out his office location and offered it to accommodate the National Guard troops, a service he normally reserves for Chinese spies – allegedly.

RELATED: Nancy Pelosi Suggests Trump Could Be Charged As Accessory To Murder For Capitol Riots

Props For A Photo-Op?

The Democrat outrage was necessary because the optics of having the National Guard protect a Democrat president and then be summarily dismissed to a garage is outrageous.

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA), upon hearing the reports, called out House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY).

“Speaker Pelosi and Majority Leader Schumer—why are American troops who are tasked with keeping security at the Capitol being forced to sleep in a parking lot?” he asked. “They deserve to be treated with respect, and we deserve answers.”

Rep. Madison Cawthorn (R-NC) brought the troops pizza and offered to let them sleep in his office as well.

“Our troops deserve better,” he tweeted.

There is no evidence that Pelosi, Schumer, or any other Democrat had any role in placing the National Guard troops in a parking garage. In fact, that would seem to fall on the shoulders of the Capitol Police.

Still, it’s difficult to view the Guard’s treatment as further evidence that Democrats used them – either for a photo op for President Biden following overblown reports of a threat at the Capitol, or worse, simply as a means to prevent a pro-Trump rally from breaking out at his inauguration.

It wasn’t that long ago that the left ridiculed former President Trump for using National Guard troops to protect the southern border from actual threats to our nation, belittling them as props.