Inhofe others urge removal of National Guard soldiers and the fence

 

The Biden administration’s decisions to kill the Keystone XL pipeline and freeze new drilling permits on federal lands aren’t the only issues fought by Oklahoma U.S. Sen. Jim Inhofe and others in Washington.

He led Republicans in recently voicing fresh concerns about the presence of thousands of National Guard troops and the prison-like fencing around the U.S. Capitol following the Jan. 6 violence on the capital.

In a letter to Yogananda D. Pittman, the Acting Chief of Police for the capitol, the senators expressed skepticism and doubt about the need for the soldiers and what they called “intrusive fencing.”

“Our National Guard personnel, who serve with great honor and distinction, are not law enforcement officers, and we will not abide the continued militarization of Capitol complex security,” the senators wrote in a letter Friday to the Capitol Police.

Their letter was filled with questions and doubts about the need for the soldiers and the fence.

“It is entirely unclear to use why the fencing around the complex remains”

“This fence sends a terrible message to American citizens–”

“With little apparent questioning of the justification.”

“Lack of evidence for the Capitol Police justification.”

“Capitol Police has repeatedly failed to provide specific, credible threat intelligence to adequately justify the Capitol security posture.”