This story is just weird. All sorts of protests are planned around Trump’s inauguration in Washington, and President Obama fires the National Guard General in charge of security, effective midday the day of the inauguration. That he’s being fired by Obama suggests he’s extremely competent. If the spoiled brats erupt in the violence that appears to be the subtext of many of their public utterances, it will be a real tragedy…if every last one of them isn’t thrown in jail. From Tyler Durden at zerohedge.com:
[CLARIFICATION: THE ZERO HEDGE STORY IMPLIES THAT IT WAS PRESIDENT OBAMA WHO ACCEPTED GENERAL SCHWARTZ’S RESIGNATION:
“Is this just another part of Obama’s “smooth” transition? Or is something even more sinister at work here, since we already know that anti-Trump activists are planning “the biggest protest in US history” on the day of the inauguration?”
HOWEVER, THE WASHINGTON POST STORY ZERO HEDGE REFERENCES IS MORE AMBIGUOUS. IT WAS IN FACT THE TRUMP TRANSITION TEAM THAT ACCEPTED SCHWARTZ’S RESIGNATION. IT IS CUSTOMARY FOR POLITICAL APPOINTEES TO OFFER THEIR RESIGNATIONS TO AN INCOMING PRESIDENT. THAT IS WHAT SCHWARTZ DID AND TRUMP ACCEPTED THE RESIGNATION. UNNAMED ARMY OFFICIALS SAID THE DECISION WAS TRUMP OFFICIALS’, WHILE UNNAMED TRUMP OFFICIALS SAY THAT WAS WHAT THE ARMY WANTED, WHICH MAY IMPLY THAT PRESIDENT OBAMA WAS INVOLVED. FROM THE POST:
Military officials and Trump transition officials provided contradictory versions of the decision to replace Schwartz. As is customary for presidential appointees, the general submitted a letter of resignation to give the new administration a clean start.
Two military officials with knowledge of the situation said the Trump team decided to accept the resignation. A person close to the transition said transition officials wanted to keep Schwartz in the job for continuity, but the Army pushed to replace him.
OBVIOUSLY SLL, WORKING OFF THE ZERO HEDGE STORY, MAY HAVE WRONGLY ATTRIBUTED THE FIRING, OR ACCEPTED RESIGNATION, TO OBAMA, WHEN IT IS IN FACT NOT CLEAR EXACTLY WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR SCHWARTZ’S TERMINATION. I AM GRATEFUL TO READER DAVE WALDEN FOR POINTING ME IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION ON THIS (SEE HIS COMMENT BELOW)]
“It doesn’t make sense to can the general in the middle of an active deployment,” rages D.C. Council Chairman Phil Mendelson (D) after Maj. Gen. Errol R. Schwartz, who heads the D.C. National Guard and is an integral part of overseeing the inauguration, has been ordered removed from command effective Jan. 20, 12:01 p.m., just as Donald Trump is sworn in as president.
As The Washington Post reports, Maj. Gen. Errol R. Schwartz’s departure will come in the midst of the presidential ceremony, classified as a national special security event — and while thousands of his troops are deployed to help protect the nation’s capital during an inauguration he has spent months helping to plan.
“The timing is extremely unusual,” Schwartz said in an interview Friday morning, confirming a memo announcing his ouster that was obtained by The Washington Post.
During the inauguration, Schwartz would command not only the members of the D.C. guard but also an additional 5,000 unarmed troops sent in from across the country to help. He also would oversee military air support protecting the nation’s capital during the inauguration.
“My troops will be on the street,” Schwartz, who turned 65 in October, said, “I’ll see them off but I won’t be able to welcome them back to the armory.” He said that he would “never plan to leave a mission in the middle of a battle.”
Schwartz, who was appointed to head the guard by President George W. Bush in 2008, maintained the position through President Obama’s two terms. He said his orders came from the Pentagon but that he doesn’t know who made the decision.
D.C. Council Chairman Phil Mendelson (D) blasted the decision to remove Schwartz, especially on Inauguration Day.
“It doesn’t make sense to can the general in the middle of an active deployment,” Mendelson said. He added that Schwartz’s sudden departure would be a long-term loss for the District. “He’s been really very good at working with the community and my impression was that he was good for the Guard.”
To continue reading: D.C. National Guard Chief Fired Days Before Trump Inauguration: “The Timing Is Extremely Unusual”
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