Why are National Guard troops still in Washington?

 Politico:

Thousands of National Guardsmen were allowed back into the Capitol Thursday night, hours after U.S. Capitol Police officials ordered them to vacate the facilities, sending them outdoors or to nearby parking garages after two weeks pulling security duty after the deadly riot on Jan. 6.

One unit, which had been resting in the Dirksen Senate Office building, was abruptly told to vacate the facility on Thursday, according to one Guardsman. The group was forced to rest in a nearby parking garage without internet reception, with just one electrical outlet, and one bathroom with two stalls for 5,000 troops, the person said. Temperatures in Washington were in the low 40s by nightfall.

“Yesterday dozens of senators and congressmen walked down our lines taking photos, shaking our hands and thanking us for our service. Within 24 hours, they had no further use for us and banished us to the corner of a parking garage. We feel incredibly betrayed,” the Guardsman said.

POLITICO obtained photos showing the Guard members packed together in the parking garage, sleeping on the ground.


A group of National Guardsmen rests in a parking garage near Dirksen Senate Office building on Jan. 21, 2021. | POLITICO

All National Guard troops were told to vacate the Capitol and nearby congressional buildings on Thursday, and to set up mobile command centers outside or in nearby hotels, another Guardsman confirmed. They were told to take their rest breaks during their 12-hour shifts outside and in parking garages, the person said.
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There appears to be bipartisan agreement that this was a mistake and they were let back in the Capitol building.  They should let them go home.  The potential for violence has disapated.  It appears from this distance that the authorities in Washington at first, underestimated the potetial problem and then over reacted .At this point there is no need to keep these troops in Washington.

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