Sun, 01/31/2021 - 00:34 — legitgov Illinois Governor Sending 500 National Guard Troops to Washington | 30 Jan 2021 | Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker this week activated 500 National Guard members and is sending them to Washington to help with the continued military presence in the nation's capital. "Major General Neely [adjutant general of Illinois and commander of the Illinois National Guard] and I are ready to ensure that the state of Illinois continues its proud legacy of protecting our democracy. 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," Pritzker, a Democrat, added. The troops are slated to be in Washington by the beginning of next week. They're expected to stay there until mid-March. Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker, a Republican, and New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, a Democrat, also approved sending personnel to Washington this week. Other governors have recalled their troops and are not sending them back.