Maryland Attorney General Leads Broad Coalition Against DC National Guard Deployment

A coalition of 23 state attorneys general and three governors has urged a federal appeals court to uphold a lower court’s decision that blocked the deployment of National Guard troops to Washington, D.C. According to a press release from the Maryland Attorney General’s office, Attorney General Anthony G. Brown spearheaded the filing of an amicus brief with the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. The coalition aims to prevent the Trump administration from appealing this ruling, asserting that the deployment infringes upon state and local sovereignty and threatens the fundamental democratic principle of maintaining the military under civilian authority.

The coalition’s brief argues that the National Guard’s deployment to Washington, D.C. was not for public safety but rather for political purposes. This action, they contend, represents an unlawful use of military power to police American communities, a practice that courts have previously rejected. The U.S. Supreme Court had previously denied the Trump administration’s attempt to deploy the National Guard in Illinois. Despite these legal setbacks, the administration continued the deployment in Washington, D.C., and has indicated intentions to deploy troops to other cities. Such continued deployments, in defiance of court rulings, are seen as a persistent danger to civilian oversight and democratic governance.

The filing further highlights the negative consequences experienced by states that have already seen such deployments. These harms include the disruption of law enforcement operations, significant economic damage to local communities, the diversion of essential National Guard resources, and an exacerbation of civil unrest. The coalition is advocating for the D.C. Circuit to affirm the district court’s ruling, thereby solidifying the principle that the President does not possess the authority to utilize the National Guard as a domestic policing force.

The participating states and governors in this coalition include the attorneys general from Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaiʻi, Illinois, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, and Wisconsin. Additionally, the offices of the Governors of Kansas, Kentucky, and Pennsylvania joined in the filing of the brief. This broad support underscores a unified concern among state leaders regarding the potential overreach of federal executive power.

Residents can view this development as a significant legal challenge to the executive branch’s authority regarding the deployment of military forces within the United States. The outcome of this appeal could set a precedent for future instances where federal authorities might seek to deploy the National Guard domestically, impacting the balance of power between federal and state governments and the rights of citizens in affected areas.

Article by Mel Anara, based upon information from the Maryland Attorney General’s Office

Video Spotlight