Gianforte Slams D.C. Officials – Orders Guard Troops Home
Opening his press conference in Helena on Friday, Montana Governor Greg Gianforte had scathing words for officials in Washington. D.C. who sent National Guard troops out of federal buildings and into unheated parking garages, leading him to order Montana’s troops home immediately.
“Thousands of National Guardsmen were forced to leave the Capitol building and were sent outside into parking garages to rest,” said Gianforte. “Some had no heat or access to facilities. This is no way to treat the men and women in uniform. What happened to them was a national disgrace. Thousands of guardsmen answered the call of duty to protect our Republic, and they will have been pulling security duty for two weeks to support a peaceful transfer of power, and this is how they were treated. It s outrageous. That s why very early this morning I instructed General Hronek to bring them home.”
National Guard Soldiers Vetted Yearly for Extremist Behavior
Public Information Officer Major Dan Bushnell said the vetting is part of the standard security clearance protocol.
“Those soldiers have to have a security clearance to be soldiers,” said Major Bushnell. “That s part of what we do anyhow, their background is checked, and they are the best and the brightest that the Montana National Guard has to offer, but given the security concerns that are there in DC, certainly there s some additional vetting that occurs for them.”
Major Bushnell said the vetting process is actually being processed on Tuesday, before the inauguration.