With “No Kings” anti-Trump protests planned for at least 13 Wyoming towns on Saturday, Gov. Mark Gordon says he does not expect the same fiery scenes as in Los Angeles because “Wyoming is not Los Angeles.”
The Wyoming Democratic Party urged Gordon this week to reject any attempt by the president to federalize the Wyoming National Guard to combat protest and dissent.
The call comes after several days of anti-immigrant enforcement protests in Los Angeles, which have sometimes turned violent and destructive.
President Donald Trump federalized the California National Guard, deploying it against Gov. Gavin Newsom’s wishes, and sent U.S. Marines into the protest zone.
In a Thursday email to Cowboy State Daily, Gordon stated that if there is a “formal request” to deploy the Wyoming National Guard in the Cowboy State, he will “thoroughly evaluate it to ensure the mission aligns with the Guard’s core responsibilities, available resources, and the best interests of the state.”
While Gordon did not say how he would react if Trump federalized the guard or deployed US troops in Wyoming, he stated that his goal is to ensure that the guard’s priorities of defending Wyomingites’ rights and state, responding to emergencies, and supporting federal missions “remain front and center.”
Gordon is relieved that guard personnel are home with their families, he said.
This is Wyoming; act accordingly.
But Wyoming isn’t Los Angeles, Gordon added.
“Wyoming citizens are accustomed to expressing their viewpoints and we all appreciate that right,” according to him. “Protests in Wyoming have historically been non-violent, peaceful and respectful of boundaries.”
He stated that local law enforcement agencies should be able to collaborate, and his office has not received requests for assistance from them.
Dems Say Don’t Do That
In a statement issued on Tuesday, the Wyoming Democratic Party urged Gordon “to publicly reject any attempt” by Trump to federalize the state’s national guard in order to suppress protest, dissent, or political opposition within the state.
According to the statement, thousands of Wyomingites are preparing to protest peacefully, “exercising their fundamental rights to freedom of speech and assembly.”
The party argued that using military force against American citizens was both unconstitutional and un-American.
“Standing up for what we believe is the Wyoming way,” Party Chair Lucas Fralik stated. “Any federal attempt to interfere with that isn’t just legally dubious, it’s insulting to who we are.”
Finally, the Democratic Party urged Gordon to continue the state’s “long, proud history of pushing back against federal overreach.”
Judge looks at this
Trump recently federalized 4,000 members of California’s National Guard to assist with protests in Los Angeles, marking the first time a president has done so in 60 years. Following that, he sent 700 active-duty Marines to the city.
Newsom filed a lawsuit on behalf of his state’s sovereignty rights, and Trump’s actions are currently being reviewed by the courts.
On Thursday, U.S. District Court Judge Thomas Breyer questioned the National Guard deployment’s legality.
The judge expressed doubt that the protests constituted a “rebellion,” as the Trump administration claimed.
“That’s the difference between a Constitutional government and King George,” Breyer informed the crowd. “It’s not that a leader can simply say something and it becomes it.”
While some California officials, such as Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, have portrayed the protests as mostly peaceful, video from the scene shows self-driving cars on fire, masked figures throwing rocks at law enforcement vehicles, and fights in the streets.
