Norton Demands Answers from Joint Task Force, National Guard Bureau and D.C. National Guard Over Reports of Mistreatment of D.C. Flag, Voter Intimidation, and Resident Detentions

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) today said she was determined to get answers from the Joint Task Force-D.C., National Guard Bureau and D.C. National Guard (DCNG) about reports she'd received and videos she'd reviewed depicting troubling conduct, including the apparent mistreatment of the D.C. flag, the appearance of voter intimidation by National Guard personnel congregating near ballot boxes, and aggressive detention of D.C. residents. The president controls the DCNG, unlike state National Guard units which are controlled by governors. Norton has introduced legislation to give the D.C. mayor the same authority over the DCNG that governors have over their states' National Guard units, which the House passed in 2021 as part of the 2022 National Defense Authorization Act.

Yesterday morning, Norton requested a call to discuss the videos with Interim Commanding General of the D.C. National Guard, Brigadier General Leland Blanchard, and representatives from the National Guard Bureau and the Joint Task Force-D.C., the multi-agency federal and military command coordinating the deployment of thousands of National Guard personnel deployed in D.C. Norton also requested information regarding guidance and instructions being provided to National Guard units concerning their presence near D.C. ballot boxes. Norton has yet to receive a response.

One video shows a room full of National Guard members with the D.C. flag spread on the ground with what appear to be Sharpie markers placed on top of it, suggesting that the soldiers intended to sign the flag. Throughout U.S. history, soldiers have signed captured flags from enemy territories as war trophies, a practice dating back to the Civil War and most commonly associated with World War II. The video was posted on a National Guard website but was removed on Tuesday or Wednesday, following criticism on social media.

A second video and accompanying image shows a group of National Guard personnel gathered around a ballot drop box, with one individual stating that they had not received instructions to avoid the vicinity of drop boxes. A third video depicts three National Guard members aggressively detaining a woman who was seated on a bench outside a private residence.

"I gave the Joint Task Force and the D.C. National Guard 24 hours to respond to my urgent request to discuss these deeply troubling videos, and their silence underscores the fundamental problem with deploying a military force that is not accountable to D.C. residents or its elected leaders to perform policing functions in the nation's capital," Norton said. "The footage appears to show Guard personnel treating the D.C. flag as though it were the flag of a conquered territory. If that is what occurred, it reflects a profound disrespect for the more than 700,000 D.C. residents who have been forced to endure the militarization of their city.

"Equally concerning are videos showing armed National Guard personnel stationed around ballot drop boxes. At a minimum, such conduct creates the appearance of voter intimidation and risks discouraging residents from exercising their fundamental right to vote. The fact that Guard personnel reportedly had not been instructed to avoid ballot drop boxes suggests a troubling lack of awareness by leadership of the impact these deployments are having on the District and its residents.

"Finally, the video showing National Guard personnel detaining a woman outside a private residence highlights the dangers of using military personnel to carry out civilian law enforcement functions. National Guard units are not trained to perform routine policing duties. Deploying them in this manner risks undermining public trust, escalating tensions, and making the work of D.C.'s professional law enforcement officers more difficult.

"These videos are a stark reminder that D.C. residents are forced to endure a level of federal interference that Americans elsewhere would never tolerate. The deployment of military personnel into the District without the consent of our local government is an affront to home rule and democratic self-government. Whether Congress is overturning D.C. laws, restricting how the District spends its own locally raised funds, or imposing federal control over local affairs, D.C. residents are repeatedly denied the rights that citizens in the 50 states take for granted. This latest episode demonstrates once again why D.C. must have full self-government and statehood."

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