Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) says he finds it ‘offensive’ that the FBI is judging members of the National Guard, including those from Texas, in Washington ahead of the election of President-elect Joe Biden on Wednesday.
“No one should ever question the loyalty or professionalism of the Texas National Guard,” Abbott wrote in a tweet Monday night.
There are about 25,000 members of the National Guard in Washington to secure the inauguration, including about 1,000 from Texas, in response to the deadly January 6 uprising at the U.S. Capitol.
Abbott wrote that he would not deploy the Texas National Guard to Washington again if they were checked before the inauguration.
Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy told The Associated Press on Sunday that officials were aware of the potential threat, and he warned commanders to be on the lookout for problems within their ranks as the inauguration approaches.
So far, however, he and other leaders say they have seen no evidence of threats.
In a situation like this, the FBI investigations would involve people managing their names through databases and watchlists to see if anything disturbing comes up, according to The Associated Press. This could include involvement in previous investigations or terrorism-related problems, said David Gomez, a former FBI national security guard in Seattle.