How Can Pete Hegseth Invade California without a Babysitter?

Back when Whiskey Pete Hegseth had trusted advisors by his side, he launched an ill-considered escalation against the Houthis based on Stephen Miller’s vibes about Trump’s views. He shared probably-classified details, in advance, about the attack on Signal. According to WSJ, he “drew resources from efforts in Asia to deter China and pushed back maintenance schedules for carriers.” And, after several months and two F/A-18s later, he packed up, having achieved nothing, and went home.

Since then, he fired those trusted advisors. According to the Guardian, the process that led to their firing appears to have been driven by rumor spread by a guy taking them out.

The White House has lost confidence in a Pentagon leak investigation that Pete Hegseth used to justify firing three top aides last month, after advisers were told that the aides had supposedly been outed by an illegal warrantless National Security Agency (NSA) wiretap.

The extraordinary explanation alarmed the advisers, who also raised it with people close to JD Vance, because such a wiretap would almost certainly be unconstitutional and an even bigger scandal than a number of leaks.

But the advisers found the claim to be untrue and complained that they were being fed dubious information by Hegseth’s personal lawyer, Tim Parlatore, who had been tasked with overseeing the investigation.

[snip]

In particular, one Trump adviser recently told Hegseth that he did not think Caldwell – or any of the fired aides – had leaked anything, and that he suspected the investigation had been used to get rid of aides involved in the infighting with his first chief of staff, Joe Kasper.

[snip]

Still, the Trump advisers who reeled from the claim also eventually told Hegseth they were concerned by the optics of Parlatore, who had been close to the former chief of staff Kasper, running an investigation that targeted Kasper’s perceived enemies in the office.

Curiously, Guardian’s Hugo Lowell neglects to mention that Tim Parlatore was a Trump defense attorney — indeed, he vouched that Trump wasn’t hoarding any more classified documents — until he blabbed his mouth one day.

So that was then: Hegseth took action. Bungled that action. Fired the competent people around him.

This is now: Donald Trump just gave Whiskey Pete open-ended authority to attack US cities, in the name of protecting ICE deployments.

I hereby call into Federal service members and units of the National Guard under 10 U.S.C. 12406 to temporarily protect ICE and other United States Government personnel who are performing Federal functions, including the enforcement of Federal law, and to protect Federal property, at locations where protests against these functions are occurring or are likely to occur based on current threat assessments and planned operations. Further, I direct and delegate actions as necessary for the Secretary of Defense to coordinate with the Governors of the States and the National Guard Bureau in identifying and ordering into Federal service the appropriate members and units of the National Guard under this authority. The members and units of the National Guard called into Federal service shall be at least 2,000 National Guard personnel and the duration of duty shall be for 60 days or at the discretion of the Secretary of Defense. In addition, the Secretary of Defense may employ any other members of the regular Armed Forces as necessary to augment and support the protection of Federal functions and property in any number determined appropriate in his discretion.

After usurping control of the California National Guard, Hegseth is also prepping a Marine deployment, just in case.

Oh, and he’s also engaged in a whole bunch of dick-wagging on Xitter, on his personal account (he hasn’t posted on his official account since Friday, making me wonder whether he lost the password or the password holder to that account).

Again, he’s doing all that without the kind of trusted advisors he had when he bolloxed the Yemen attack.

In fact, NBC describes that as he is directing an attack on a US city, the White House is attempting, but failing, to find him some babysitters.

The White House is looking for a new chief of staff and several senior advisers to support Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth after a series of missteps that have shaken confidence in his leadership, but it has so far found no suitable takers, according to four current and former administration officials and a Republican congressional aide.

Top Defense Department jobs, including the defense secretary’s chief of staff, are normally considered prestigious and typically attract multiple qualified candidates. But at least three people have already turned down potential roles under Hegseth, according to a former U.S. official, the defense official and a person familiar with the matter.

[snip]

Vance and Wiles have been searching for candidates who could support Hegseth ever since, according to three current U.S. officials and a former U.S. official. So far, though, the administration has not had much luck identifying people who are either willing to work for Hegseth or who fit the bill politically. And the White House has rejected some people Hegseth wants to hire, while Hegseth has rejected some of the White House’s candidates.

He is failing to do the day job — like completing a budget (though Kash Patel also failed to get his budget done on time) — of the Secretary of Defense and is primarily supported by an aide the White House doesn’t trust.

Hegseth now leans heavily on a former military aide, Ricky Buria, who retired from the military in April hoping he could serve as Hegseth’s chief of staff, a civilian position. But White House and Pentagon officials view Buria as a political novice who had reportedly been critical of Trump and Vance in private. (A Defense Department spokesman did not respond to a request for comment from Buria.)

As a result, White House officials rejected Hegseth’s plan to hire Buria as his chief of staff, one of the defense officials and an administration official said. Despite that, Buria was seen with Hegseth during his recent trip to Asia in a workout video posted on social media.

[snip]

The infighting helped delay plans for “Golden Dome,” Trump’s signature missile defense program to defend the U.S. homeland, officials said. It has also contributed to the lack of a Pentagon budget, which raised frustrations among Republicans on Capitol Hill, many of whom supported Hegseth in his tight confirmation battle.

We’re getting closer and closer to the moment when the White House will have to admit what we all told it, back in January: Whiskey Pete is manifestly unfit for his job. He has neither the temperament nor the experience to do this job.

And at the moment, he doesn’t even have the aides — the White House, after several months of trying, can’t find him those aides — that, he said during his confirmation hearing, would help compensate for his lack of relevant experience.

And that’s the guy that Trump just put in charge of usurping California’s National Guard and — possibly — leading a Marine invasion of Los Angeles?

Update: Oh it gets worse!!

The guy behind the claim that NSA intercepts showed Hegseth’s reliable aides were the leakers was someone Elon implanted via DOGE at DOD. And no one cared that Forbes caught him doctoring his resume.

The adviser, Justin Fulcher, suggested to Hegseth’s then chief of staff Joe Kasper and Hegseth’s personal lawyer, Tim Parlatore, that he knew of warrantless surveillance conducted by the National Security Agency (NSA) that had identified the leakers.

Fulcher offered to share the supposed evidence as long as he could help run the investigation, three of the people said. But when he sat down with agents over a week later, it became clear he had no evidence of a wiretap, and the Pentagon had been duped.

The problem was that before investigators debunked the claims by Fulcher, who was previously found to have embellished his resume, the damage was done: Trump advisers had been told by Parlatore about “smoking gun” evidence incriminating three aides, and Hegseth had already fired them.

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135 replies
  1. April Orr says:

    Excellent read— thank you. What I most fear this AM is that CA is another chaotic distraction. Trump’s parade may be a charade orchestrated to accumulate military artillery in DC to wield power for the really dark, big move Miller and Vought are working toward. Tell me I am paranoid, please?

    • SotekPrime says:

      You’re being paranoid.

      As I’ve seen it aptly put on bluesky; “The Victory Day Parade is a sham – Russia is going to invade Moscow!”

      Or, to put it another way: What can military power in DC accomplish for Trump? A parade showing off authoritarian strongman vibes is possible, and that’s the thing he is openly admitting to. But taking power… he already is in charge in DC! Is he going to bomb Congress? Not only will the military not follow that order, it would lose him power, not gain it.

      • Memory hole says:

        I agree that his birthday parade isn’t to invade the Capitol.

        On the other hand, he did attack Congress once already. It’s not too far fetched that he may think “his” military is already staged in place if he turns his brownshirts or ICEstapo loose on to the protesters.

  2. Rugger_9 says:

    I would hope the LA protestors are aware that they’re merely an excuse for government thuggery, and would work extra hard to make it extra clear who the troglodytic maniacs are (like how Ukraine does with Putin – every target of the AFU is clearly tied to Putin’s invasion).

    For someone who likes to claim how he led troops out of the wire Whiskey Pete certainly doesn’t have the complete perspective I have seen from those I served with that were in actual combat. I have to wonder if his excursions only were in safe areas of the Green Zone, because braggadocio gets one killed in those situations. Green Zone excursions are still dangerous, but the more he talks the more he sounds like a REMF. I won’t translate, because this is a class joint.

    As for the order, understand it will apply nationwide, not just LA (whose PD didn’t ask for help) so where is Whiskey Pete going to get those troops? There aren’t enough by my reckoning without stripping them off other assignments.

    • Matt___B says:

      It’s a big city and while a majority of the protesters are probably already aware of their vulnerability to playing into the hands of fed gov provocation efforts, this is a city where more damage is done to property and normal traffic obstructed after the Dodgers win the world series and the Lakers win the NBA championship: cars vandalized and set afire, local businesses vandalized, streets blocked by “celebrants” etc.

      In this case, the 101 freeway was shut down by peaceful protesters for several hours, and in keeping with current tech trends, a few driverless Waymo taxis were set afire. The windows on these vehicles are acutely tinted, so it’s impossible to see if there are paying passengers sitting in the back seat. I have to assume that the Waymos that were incinerated were empty before being set upon, and I’m sure Alphabet has insurance to cover their losses. Meanwhile, foreign journalists (one from Britain [unknown source of projectile] and one from Australia [LAPD]) are getting hit by rubber bullets while covering the events.

      (BTW, Google AI translates REMF politely as “non-combatant”…)

    • Thequickbrownfox says:

      I’m a dyed-in-the-wool REMF myself, and you nailed Whisky Pete. He’s one of those officers that wrote commendations for his friends, and they returned the favor, resulting in medals and promotions. This is the way that mediocre, and worse, officers move upwards in the ranks, by tooting each others horns and back slapping their equally incompetent buddies. I’ve read enough of those ‘commendations’ to know which are complete fictions, designed to promote members of a specific club. Unfortunately, there are often enough members in those clubs to get the paperwork past the higher echelons.

      • Rugger_9 says:

        QBF: REMFs are a special lower class of support staff (I read somewhere for every soldier in the field there are six making it possible) like frat boys are a special lower class of fraternity brother. You don’t sound to me like a REMF.

      • Wild Bill 99 says:

        When I was in the Navy in the ’60s, petty officers wore service stripes on their left fore sleeve, one for each 4-year stint. Some were gold, others red, gold signifying no bad conduct charges. it became obvious over time that the real difference was whether you had been caught or not.

      • Raven Eye says:

        20 years in uniform (in another service) and I never heard the term “PCS* award” until I worked as a contractor in HQDA.

        * Permanent change of station

    • Molly Pitcher says:

      Rugger, I always appreciate the expansion of vocabulary I get here. Thanks for your contribution.

  3. Doctor Biobrain says:

    It’s almost as if…hiring a fourth-tier Fox Friend for an extremely important position wasn’t the best idea. Who knew?

  4. Rugger_9 says:

    It’s also important to remember that many of these conflicts are intended to distract attention away from some other bad news, especially if it makes Convict-1 / Krasnov / TACO look manly (at least Vlad rode horses bare chested, just sayin’). The Epstein files, the upcoming crash due to the tariff lurching, whatever Elno has planned to win his private war, etc. are all coming and soon.

    The hit on the bonds is a predicted tariff effect already coming true, and the ongoing lack of ship traffic tells me the raw materials / components aren’t coming in fast enough to keep the factories running. With just-in-time scheduling and overseas supply chains (cost cutting) it’s not a trivial thing, and almost all of the inventory that companies stashed as a hedge against uncertainly is now gone.

    More desperation and distraction is coming out of this WH. Unfortunately, we citizens will have to suffer the consequences. That’s why Whiskey Pete is still there, solely as a distraction to take the heat while Convict-1 / Krasnov / TACO prepares the ‘coffee boy’ memo when it’s time to pull the plug.

    • earlofhuntingdon says:

      I agree that distraction is an element. The argument is also it’s own distraction.

      Trump and Miller want ALL these things. Pursuing them at the same time is a way to get them. It’s flooding the zone, intended to overwhelm, to cause people to lose focus, to push them to exhaustion and to give up their opposition. If a few objectives fall by the wayside, they can be picked up later. Dominance is the ultimate goal.

    • Wild Bill 99 says:

      Now I have to somehow erase the mental picture of Trump riding bare-chested. Putin was bad enough.

  5. Naomi Schiff says:

    One of the perhaps unanticipated consequences of this insanity is that it may lend Newsom more support from people who range from negative to unenthusiastic to lukewarm on many of his other positions.

  6. Memory hole says:

    I’m installing Signal, so I can keep you all updated on the war plans on America.

  7. David Brooks says:

    Slightly O/T, but if you read 10 USC 12406 (which was the only statute Trump cited), it allows deployment from any state or states, but “Orders for these purposes shall be issued through the governors of the States …” which clearly has not happened.

    IANAL and not sure if the word “shall” means Newsom was obliged by statute to issue the orders but failed to do so, but in any case didn’t the CA NG leadership obey an illegal order?

    • Shadowalker says:

      The governors activate the national guard within their state. Yes, it’s an illegal order both federal and state. Trump could use other state(s) NG units after they were properly activated to do the same but that gets messy real fast. We saw rumblings of the same thing back in 2020.

    • Rugger_9 says:

      Shall = must in legal frameworks and IIRC EW already pointed out the opening for litigation on those grounds elsewhere on this site. So far the Insurrection Act hasn’t surfaced IIRC this time.

      While the officer has the opportunity to refuse an illegal order, it takes some big brass ones to do so because your bars are on the line. Career types are generally risk averse, and given how much Whiskey Pete has been ‘remodeling’ the military into his frat boy image I’d consider it to be less likely.

      • earlofhuntingdon says:

        Service members have a legal and moral obligation to refuse to carry out an illegal order. Yes, it takes brass balls to do that, because your career and possibly your liberty are on the line, even if you’re right.

        I’m mot convinced that Hegsesth-Miller-Trump have succeeded in refashioning the military into their pet poodles. Hegsesth’s Toy Soldier mentality will be making a hard sell harder. People know the difference between preening and walking the talk.

        • Twaspawarednot says:

          I was witness, more than once, to my comrades in arms, obeying illegal orders that put their lives, knowingly at risk for no necessary purpose. Mindless obedience. I was never that easy. I was given an honorable discharge from duty long before I had completed my obligations. I do not trust the military to follow their constitutional oath.

        • Raven Eye says:

          It appears that Hegseth (National Command Authority) directly ordered Gen. Guillot, commander of U.S. Northern Command, to activate and take command of those California National Guard forces.

          It is unlikely that the general did not already know that Hegseth’s order was not in compliance with 10 USC 12406, but even if he didn’t know, there would be one or more command JAG officers in his office advising him. But he “was just following orders.” This is why IGs exist.

          At HQDA, the cubicle next to mine, for about seven years, was occupied by a rotation of Army JAG officers. Any official action was reviewed by a JAG officer. I learned a lot from them, and when Hegseth started shuffling JAG personnel around, it was easy to spot him as one of those who had a deep resentment for anyone that might dare to stop him from committing war crimes.

      • Opiwannn says:

        Just to add for those who don’t have experience with it, in federal contracts and statues:
        – shall = “do it or be in violation of law/breach of contract”
        – will = “strongly encouraged, but lacking will not violate law/contract”
        – may = “we’d really look favorably on you for doing this, but it’s more of a stretch or bonus objective”

        Anyone reading federal contracts or statues without experience of those words’ use in that fashion can be really confusing, particularly since ‘shall’ isn’t really used in any “regular” forum that I can think of.

        • earlofhuntingdon says:

          Nice summary. If any of those DOGE goons are Brits, there’s the added problem of translation of British into American English, because in British English, “shall” is the future tense, whereas “will” is mandatory.

        • SteveBev says:

          In British legal English
          May = discretionary; but depending on the context the discretion could be broad, or guided, and even if broad should not be exercised perversely ie in a manner which is so unreasonable that no reasonable decision maker would decide the issue in that way, by eg failing to take into account a relevant consideration or by taking into account account an irrelevant consideration

          Shall = mandatory; the difficulty some people not versed in legal usage have in realising the mandatory meaning is because shall is used in polite vernacular British English idiomatically for offering suggestions eg “Shall we have tea now?”

          Will = also mandatory, but usually when there are conditions precedent and/or a leeway in performance eg upon receipt of the architects drawings and schedules of works the applicant will use their best endeavours to submit the planning application promptly but in any event within 3 months of the date of receipt of the plans.

          Must = a stringent requirement to be performed to the letter, with no leeway for quibbling ambiguity – the onus is on the performing party to resolve ambiguity in advance.

  8. David Brooks says:

    OK, I just read Steve Vladeck’s *footnote* from Saturday “my own view is that this is better understood as a purely administrative provision than it is as giving a substantive veto to the governor. (Imagine a governor who was thwarting the enforcement of federal civil rights laws, and how Congress would not have wanted to empower the governor to resist such federalization.”

    That’s the first time I’ve seen an expert address my question, so I’ll take it on board – although Congress didn’t specifically disempower the governor either. The Lawfare write-up doesn’t address it.

  9. SteveBev says:

    New addition to reporting by Hugo Lowell

    “Hegseth aide upended Pentagon leak inquiry with false wiretap claims
    Exclusive: ex-Doge staffer Justin Fulcher suggested he had evidence of wiretap that would help investigation”
    “The adviser, Justin Fulcher, suggested to Hegseth’s then chief of staff Joe Kasper and Hegseth’s personal lawyer, Tim Parlatore, that he knew of warrantless surveillance conducted by the National Security Agency (NSA) that had identified the leakers.

    Fulcher offered to share the supposed evidence as long as he could help run the investigation, three of the people said. But when he sat down with agents over a week later, it became clear he had no evidence of a wiretap, and the Pentagon had been duped.”

    18:01 pm BST 9 June 2025
    https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/jun/09/hegseth-wiretap-inquiry-justin-fulcher

    • earlofhuntingdon says:

      Justin Fulcher, 32, is obtuse, ignorant, or lying. He should know that as a fact witness, he could never run any part of the relevant investigation.

      He’s a coding salesman, who ran one company into the ground, after making millions from it, persuading govts and healthcare providers in several SE Asian countries to buy his Internet services during COVID.

      Unsurprisingly, he’s a serial liar, not least about his academic credentials. (Forbes says he “overstates” them.) He has an MA from Middlebury, but claims he also has a doctorate from Johns Hopkins SAIS. SAIS says it has no record he was ever a student there. Typical Musk DOGE goon.

      https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidjeans/2025/03/04/pentagon-doge-official-justin-fulcher/
      https://projects.propublica.org/elon-musk-doge-tracker/

      • SteveBev says:

        The Forbes article, extensively proving the resume was materially inaccurate, was never acted on either by DOGEistas or Hegseth who took him on in April as an adviser after DOGE got rid of him for “being too collegial” with the Pentagon.

        This is beyond stupid.

        • earlofhuntingdon says:

          Submitting a materially false claim on a govt job application is a felony. Lying about having a doctorate from Johns Hopkins SAIS is laughably incompetent, because it’s so easily proven a lie. The arrogance is staggering, even if it’s a job requirement to work for Trump.

          A lie like that is also enough to deny anyone even the lowest level security clearance, which would be insufficient to work in the office of the SecDef.

    • earlofhuntingdon says:

      From Lowell’s Guardian article:

      Fulcher offered to share the supposed evidence as long as he could help run the investigation…. But when he sat down with agents over a week later, it became clear he had no evidence of a wiretap, and the Pentagon had been duped.

      Fulcher’s false claims look suspiciously like obstruction of justice.

    • SteveBev says:

      Despite his assertion of having done over 100,000 hours of Pro Bono work.

      Surely he will demand a recount.

      • P J Evans says:

        That’s 50 years. It’s so obviously a lie that everyone who was present when he said that should have been rolling on the floor laughing.

      • P-villain says:

        When in private practice, I had a boss (a partner, to boot) who was notorious for having billed 27 hours in a 24-hour period. Many things are possible if you’re “flexible.”

        • CambridgeKnitter says:

          Back long, long ago, when I was still required to fill out timesheets (one of the banes of my existence), I recall that you could potentially bill the same time to multiple clients if you would have had to be there/do that for each of them independent of the others. A good example is sitting in a hearing waiting for your case to come up. If you’re there for multiple cases and you have to be there the whole time until your case is called, then the fact that you have more than one case doesn’t affect how long you have to wait for each of them. Presumably the clock for a particular case stops when the hearing for that one ends.

      • Raven Eye says:

        If he put in 80-hour weeks, that would still take over 20 years devoted to nothing but Pro Bono work.

        • BRUCE F COLE says:

          Correction: he got just barely over 9% of the total vote. I was miscalculating his share vs the remaining votes, rather than the total.

  10. zscoreUSA says:

    “NBC describes that as he is directing an attack on a US city, the White House is attempting, but failing, to find him some babysitters.”

    What are the odds that when the babysitters are found that they will be super pro war with Iran?

  11. Fraud Guy says:

    I guess you go to Civil War with the incompetent lickspittles you have, rather than the semi-competent lickspittles you wish you had.

  12. P J Evans says:

    The Felon Guy wants Newsom arrested for doing something. Probably for telling him he can’t do any of that legally.

  13. LaMissy! says:

    Here’s a link to a post on Bluesky which shows a map of LA and the downtown area where the protests have occurred circled in red. It’s a tiny space, giving the lie to the “LA is a burning insurrection!” nonsense.

    https://bsky.app/profile/joemag.games/post/3lr5big67fc2l

    Also, on X, Newsom posted a pic of the Guard bivouacked on the floor of a federal building. I read yesterday that the Guard has been detailed for 29 days to avoid the pay and benefits that accrue with a 30 day deployment. That’s not going to go over well.

    Reposted by Olga Nesterova on Bluesky:
    https://bsky.app/profile/onestpress.onestnetwork.com/post/3lr75q7ux2s2l

    • ernesto1581 says:

      David Dayen (American Prospect, 6/9/25) — “The protesters are being called unspeakably violent by the Trump administration. I mostly saw clergy sit-ins and Tejano bands.” Taking place in a five-block area.
      Chinga la migra!

      • P J Evans says:

        Miller, and The Felon Guy, are desperate to have violence they can squash for his birthday celebration on Saturday. The problem is that very few people who live in L.A. and the surrounding cities want either violence OR the military triumph that The Felon Guy is desperate for.

      • Matt___B says:

        Now BBC is retracting their original report, saying

        We’ve just had clarification from our US partner CBS on what role the US Marines may take on in the Los Angeles protests. More than 700 Marines have been put on high alert and could be mobilised in the coming days to support the National Guard, CBS reports. We have contacted the Pentagon for comment. Earlier, we reported that the Marines had been deployed in a support role.”

        Seems like nobody really has the straight story: 500? 700? Deployed? On “high alert”?

    • P J Evans says:

      500? Who’s going to notice? even 2K Guard aren’t noticeable, in 4 million people.

      • P J Evans says:

        They’ve ordered in another 2000 Guard. Apparently most of what they’re supposed to do is guard federal facilities and ICE thugs. They only have “non-lethal” rounds. (Which reminds me of the billboard from a taser company that wanted public support because they weren’t allowed to advertise their “less-lethal” stuff on local electronic media. I have zero sympathy.)

        • Raven Eye says:

          These are Guard infantry units. What are they doing with non-lethal weapons? When and where did they get their training? Plus, infantry operates under rules of engagement, not federal use of force. This is odd because there are a lot of National Guard MP units in northern California who do know the difference.

        • Raven Eye says:

          And speaking of thugs, who is actually on the ground for the administration developing and ordering the missions for these Guard forces? Homan?

        • P J Evans says:

          I knew a guy who was deployed in LA after the King riots. He said it was very weird being on duty in your own city, with no ammunition. They really don’t get lethal stuff without actual need. I think the Marines are also pretty well trained. They’re not the ones I worry about. The LAPD, and the sheriff’s deputies – they’re the ones with the “warrior” training and the gang tendencies.

  14. Nord Dakota says:

    I talked to my friend in LA last night. She thinks it’s time for CA to secede. I said well, when you come right down to it, laws don’t seem to matter anymore so they might as well, and tariff the s*** out of the United States of Trump/

    O/T–does IT work offshored to the Philippines or India or somewhere get tariffed? If not, why not?

    • Rayne says:

      Once again, secession talk is Russian propaganda intended to fragment United States’ collective power, as I pointed out to another commenter.

      Stop repeating this crap. We do not forfeit our country to a fascist minority — and yes, they are a minority. We need to act like they are.

      • P-villain says:

        And as I pointed out when I made the comment you refer to, secession talk is a “fringe movement” and a “fantasy.” And if every single comment I make here didn’t go to auto-moderation, I might have seen your response.

        [Moderator’s note: You are not on an auto-moderation list; I have checked it multiple times over the last year. You are likely still “training” the system to recognize your identity after you switched back and forth between usernames using a different punctuation mark. Thank you for understanding I have a life outside waiting to manually clear each of your comments. /~Rayne]

  15. OldTulsaDude says:

    When do the public executions start?

    [Moderator’s note: Let’s avoid the appearance of calling for violence. /~Rayne]

  16. Thequickbrownfox says:

    I’m wondering what plans they’ve made for deploying a marine battalion. That requires logistics (a LOT of logistics). Food and water, bivouac, personal hygiene, fuel for vehicles, etc., lots of etc. I’ll bet money that nobody has done the planning required for this, because it was something not foreseen in the United States. I predict a shitshow.

    • earlofhuntingdon says:

      Odds are the Marines did that before the battalion left 29 Palms. It’s unlikely they would have left that to Hegseth. They would not assume they’d just find it in L.A. It would not be typical Marine behavior.

      • Thaihome says:

        I’m trying to visualize what the 200+ vehicle convoy transporting an entire Marine combat battalion would look like driving across the LA metropolitan area from San Bernardino to downtown. Maybe they will go in helicopters?

        • Matt___B says:

          They’re driving. The LA Times had a video on their website this morning of a convoy of military vehicles (mixed in with other regular traffic) headed west on Highway 10…

        • P J Evans says:

          There’s no place to land choppers closer than El Monte Airport (light planes only) or Burbank and Van Nuys.

        • wa_rickf says:

          Today in the Seattle metro area, heading west on I-90, there was a convoy of military equipment – open truck-like contraptions with three axels rolling along on gigantic tires. I saw six of this vehicles trotting along. These vehicles don’t seem to be able to move above 50 mph.

        • KarenJ503 says:

          Matt_B, I was speculating yesterday afternoon about how the Twentynine Palms Marines were going to get to downtown LA, and came up with a map. I figured the MAGA route would be making a beeline for I-5 so they could rumble into town out of the mountains — and the sensible route would be through the lowlands directly through east LA suburbia (equally impressive).

          https://x.com/KaJo503/status/1932200512470106586

        • Matt___B says:

          Re: KarenJ503 @ 2:21

          The LA Times this morning reports convoys of the 700 Marines were sent to:

          1) Orange County Naval Weapons Station in Seal Beach
          2) Joint Forces Training Base in Los Alamitos
          3).”A number of unspecified National Guard armories”

        • P J Evans says:

          @Matt___B
          There’s a fairly large set of Guard buildings in Sepulveda Basin (which is run by the Army Corps of Engineers). It’s next to the 405 and close to the 101. I don’t know about other armories in the area.

      • Mooserites says:

        I had a stupid fantasy that maybe the federales would be quartered in an LA hotel, and the food and service so good they would be unwilling to raise a hand against such nice people.
        Turns out, some of them are so quartered, and they right away began hassling the staff about their immigration status.

    • Raven Eye says:

      “Gentlemen, the officer who doesn’t know his communications and supply as well as his tactics is totally useless.”
      – Gen. George S. Patton, USA

      Do we imagine that any of Trump’s boot-lickers ever gave a moment’s thought to the tooth-to-tail ratio? I suspect that there was a rush to get boots-on-the-Home-Depot-parking-lot ASAP. Did they ever consider just hiring extras and dressing them up as soldiers (they’re in the perfect place to do that)?

      • Mooserites says:

        I believe that the regime is recruiting from the different agencies (FBI, DHS, ICE, BOP etc.) for those agents willing to do this ‘work’. Thus the mixture of labels on the tactical vests.

        • Raven Eye says:

          For Emergency Law Enforcement Assistance:

          28 CFR 65.70 (c) Federal law enforcement community. The term Federal law enforcement community is defined by the Act [Justice Assistance Act of 1984] as the heads of the following departments or agencies:

          (1) Federal Bureau of Investigation;
          (2) Drug Enforcement Administration;
          (3) Criminal Division of the Department of Justice;
          (4) Internal Revenue Service;
          (5) Customs Service;
          (6) Department of Homeland Security;
          (7) U.S. Marshals Service;
          (8) National Park Service;
          (9) U.S. Postal Service;
          (10) Secret Service;
          (11) U.S. Coast Guard;
          (12) Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives;
          (13) National Security Division of the Department of Justice; and
          (14) Other Federal agencies with specific statutory authority to investigate violations of Federal criminal law.

          Though the administration is not executing Emergency Law Enforcement Assistance, to Hegseth, Bondi, Miller, and Homan this probably looks like a shopping list. BOP was used during Trump 1.0. But one of the problems with bringing in LEOs from across the agencies is that some of those folks would be asking WTFO about how things are being run.

  17. Zinsky123 says:

    Very interesting post – I continue to be so impressed with the number of inputs Marcy uses in crafting her posts here. Anyway, Whiskey Pete is just one more incompetent cog in the Trump Wheel of Incompetence. Over at HHS, we have Brainworm Bobby decimating the national vaccine advisory council members, who were obviously confusing him with pesky facts. Its all because we have an incompetent geriatric pervert in the White House, who only “works” three days a week and golfs four. His Cabinet picks were solely made on the basis of physical appearances or how much the nominee would “tweak the liberals” (e.g. Linda McMahon). As a result, this is the most ridiculously incompetent and corrupt Administration in American history by several orders of magnitude! God help us all.

  18. Raven Eye says:

    From Politico:

    “06/10/2025 12:08 PM EDT
    President Donald Trump’s decision to deploy troops to Los Angeles amid mass deportation protests will likely cost $134 million, the Pentagon’s budget chief told lawmakers.

    “Acting Pentagon comptroller Bryn MacDonnell, testifying at a House budget hearing on Tuesday alongside Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, said the estimate covers costs such as travel, housing and food.”

  19. harpie says:

    Marcy Reposted this comment [from the House Hearing today] a little while ago:

    https://bsky.app/profile/thebulwark.com/post/3lrba2nggh22t
    June 10, 2025 at 11:39 AM

    Rep. Aguilar: “U.S. code…cites 3 examples and circumstances for the guard…invasion…rebellion…or the president is unable to execute the laws of the U.S.”

    Hegseth: “I don’t know…Sounds like all three to me.”

    Rep. Aguilar: “You think the president is unable to execute the laws of the U.S.?” [VIDEO]

    Here’s a transcript [as well as I could with the crosstalk]:

    A: of the US Code 12406 is the legal basis that the President used, cites three examples in circumstances for the Guard.
    — Invasion by a foreign nation,
    — rebellion or dangerous rebellion against the authority of the Government of the United States,
    — or the President is unable with regular forces to execute the laws
    of the United States.

    Which authority is triggered here to justify the use? [0:25]

    H: I donno. You just read it yourself. And people can listen themselves,
    but it sounds like all three to me. If you’ve got millions of illegals

    [Continued crosstalk throughout.]

    and you don’t know where they’re coming from, they’re flavin, their waving flags from foreign countries

    A: JUST said

    H: and assaulting police officers law enforcement officers.

    A: able to execute the laws of the United States?

    H: That’s a problem. [0:40] The Governor of California is unable to execute the laws if the United States. The Governor of California has failed to protect his people along with the Mayor of Los Angeles, and so President Trump has said he will protect our agents, and our Guard and Marines are proud to do it.

    A: The law also says, Mr. Secretary, that the orders for these purposes shall be issued through Governors of the States. [0:59]

    H: You and I both know that President Trump has all the authorities necessary, and thankfully he’s willing to do it on behalf of the citizens of Los Angeles, on behalf of our ICE agents, and behalf of our country.

    • harpie says:

      These authorities were covered in the second linked commentary, above:

      The National Guard in Los Angeles The president hasn’t invoked
      the Insurrection Act. He’s instead relying on a theory of inherent constitutional power that is far more limited. https://www.lawfaremedia.org/article/the-national-guard-in-los-angeles Chris Mirasola June 8, 2025

      It’s the “theory” of the inherent [Constitutional] presidential authority
      known as the “protective power”.

      TRUMP also relies on “an emergency statutory authority, 10 U.S.C. 12406

    • harpie says:

      That emergency statutory authority, 10 U.S.C. 12406 is

      to mobilize National Guard personnel to undertake the duties authorized under the protective power.

      The TRUMP memo characterizes the protests as violent and
      threatening to personnel and property, and

      “To the extent that protests or acts of violence directly inhibit the execution of the laws, they constitute a form of rebellion against the authority of the United States.”

    • harpie says:

      Then comes the discussion re: what Aguillar was questioning HEGSETH about:

      […] all that Section 12406 does is authorize the president to bring National Guard personnel onto federal active duty
      if one of the following three circumstances applies:

      (1) Actual or threatened foreign invasion;
      (2) Actual or threatened rebellion “against the authority of the Government of the United States”; or
      (3) When the President is unable with the regular forces to execute the laws of the United States.

      The first paragraph of the presidential memorandum suggests
      that the president is using the second prong of the statute [REBELLION] as the hook for involuntarily mobilizing these National Guard personnel.

      • harpie says:

        Note what he writes just after this:

        This, of course, is factually contestable and, even on
        the face of the memorandum, unusually weak. (Note that
        the final sentence of the first paragraph, which alleges the rebellion, is in the conditional.)

    • harpie says:

      Continuing…

      We can infer that the legal authority for this mission is the protective power from the text of the second paragraph of the president’s memorandum. We are told that the president has authorized National Guard personnel to “temporarily protect ICE and other United States Government personnel who are performing Federal functions, including the enforcement of Federal law, and to protect Federal property, at locations where protests against these functions are occurring or are likely to occur.”

      This phrasing of the mission is nearly identical to the text of the Department of Justice Office of Legal Counsel memo, which stands for the modern executive branch understanding of the protective power. […]

      That April 29, 1971 OLC memo is called:

      Authority to Use Troops to Prevent Interference With Federal Employees by Mayday Demonstrations and Consequent Impairment of Government Functions

      It was signed by NIXON’s Assistant Attorney General for OLC William REHNQUIST.

    • harpie says:

      And THIS is where it gets even more interesting:

      Importantly, the protective power does not extend as far as the general authorization to undertake law enforcement functions which the Insurrection Act provides. This is implicitly noted in the 1971 OLC memo, which ends by advising the president that he can still invoke the greater powers available under the Insurrection Act if circumstances further deteriorate.

      It was more explicitly recognized by former Attorney General Bill Barr in the wake of the last known invocation of this authority—the military response to Black Lives Matter protests in Washington, D.C.

      LINKS to this:
      https://x.com/KerriKupecDOJ/status/1270487263324049410

      • harpie says:

        That link is to Barr’s 6/9/20 letter to D.C. Mayor BOWSER.

        KUPEC:

        Letter from Attorney General Barr to D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser
        on the Trump Administration’s restoration of law and order
        to the District.

    • harpie says:

      Mirasola describes BARR’s bullet points of things TRUMP’s troops
      could do in DC of JUNE 2020 as “historical limitations” and suggests that
      “We see a gesture towards these limitations in” the third paragraph
      of the new TRUMP Memo.

      It begins by stating that “to carry out this mission, the deployed military personnel may perform those military protective activities that the Secretary of Defense determines are reasonably necessary to ensure the protection and safety of Federal personnel and property.” This single sentence could not be more important.

      The executive, again as reflected in the 1971 OLC memo, has long asserted that the protective power is not an exception to the Posse Comitatus Act because the activities authorized under the protective power are not themselves law enforcement activities.

      In the days to come, the public must be laser focused on seeing the extent to which Secretary Hegseth adheres to these historically recognized limitations.

      Days to come=today.

    • harpie says:

      The last bit of the REHNQUIST OLC Memo

      April 29, 1971
      MEMORANDUM OPINION FOR THE ACTING GENERAL COUNSEL DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY
      […] While this authority rests on inherent power, rather than specific statutes, it should be noted that if serious violence occurs [*****] beyond the control of police, the President could also, upon proper request, invoke his authority to use troops pursuant to 10 U.S.C. §§ 331–334. Likewise, if a federal court order should be defied, the President on his own initiative could formally call out troops pursuant to 10 U.S.C. § 333. It is our view, however, that where federal functions are obstructed, invocation of these statutory provisions is not essential to the use of troops in a protective capacity.
      WILLIAM H. REHNQUIST
      Assistant Attorney General
      Office of Legal Counsel

      [*****] 6/7/25
      10:06 PM HEGSETH posts

      […] The [DOD] is mobilizing the National Guard IMMEDIATELY
      to support federal law enforcement in Los Angeles.
      And, if violence continues, active duty Marines at Camp Pendleton will also be mobilized – they are on high alert.

    • harpie says:

      More from the article:

      […] There will be time in the days to come to dig further into the twisted history of the protective power. As I have written previously [10/31/23], [LINK] the 1971 OLC opinion articulates an understanding of presidential authority that can be traced back to President Millard Fillmore’s use of the military to enforce the Fugitive Slave Act in 1850. But this history belies what I believe are significant infirmities in the executive branch’s purported legal basis for the protective power. […] this is an area where courts have traditionally been exceedingly deferential to the executive branch.

      Sorry for going on and on and on…I’m done now.

      • P J Evans says:

        Hegseth is lying about whats’ happening. LA is not rioting, it’s not full of violence, and we don’t need ICE.

        • Rayne says:

          There’s so much manipulation of perspective going on right now. Most Americans outside of California have no real idea what’s going on because of the gross skew thanks to shitty media coverage.

          Ex. the affected area —

          Kamala Harris News Group 2.0 @[email protected]
          True that.

          Jun 10, 2025, 09:44 PM

          What the country should know is that Trump and his minions Miller and Hegseth are going to trash the constitution altogether because Americans are exercising their First Amendment rights in that tiny red circle.

        • harpie says:

          Thanks, PJ and Rayne…[that map is so enlightening.]

          Have you all seen this:

          https://bsky.app/profile/cwarzel.bsky.social/post/3lrdqi2cs7k2q
          June 11, 2025 at 11:38 AM

          i’ve been trying to see what the right wing platforms (even outside of X) are showing people regarding the protests in LA and i am not sure it can be overstated just how much the AI slop is being used to reinforce the idea that downtown is a post-apocalyptic war zone [screenshots]

          I don’t know if Warzel has since written more about it.

    • Savage Librarian says:

      This wiki is up-to-date and thorough. It is very helpful. All the tabs are useful, but I especially appreciate the one on History and the one on Relevant Laws. Also, the tab on Duties and Administrative Organization has a chart that shows the distinctions between the rights and responsibilities of Governors v the President.

      https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Guard_(United_States)

      The following article is more conversational in tone. I included an excerpt that is particularly relevant to current events. But even if that were not the case, we should never underestimate the unpredictability of individual reactions and behavior. These are very volatile times.

      “How the National Guard became the go-to military force for riots and civil disturbances” – Shannon M. Smith, 2/17/21

      “Recent investigations into white supremacist infiltration of the military and police prompted closer scrutiny of National Guard troops. Two members were removed from duty protecting the presidential inauguration because of links with extremist organizations.”

      https://theconversation.com/how-the-national-guard-became-the-go-to-military-force-for-riots-and-civil-disturbances-153971

  20. MSAnthrope says:

    Yesterday, testifying before a House Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense in his nonanswer to the question of cost and if he had budget for sending marines to L.A., Hegseth said “21 million illegals have crossed our border under the previous administration.”
    (Vance has made same claim.)
    Why is he not called out on that false (inflated by 14 million) number?

    https://www.factcheck.org/2024/02/breaking-down-the-immigration-figures/

    • RitaRita says:

      Thanks for the citation to the immigration figures. I wish the responsible media post statistics like this as a pop up to articles they write about immigration.

      There are wild exaggerations out there. And confusion.

  21. Raven Eye says:

    One resource I haven’t heard about in this discussion is California’s Law Enforcement Mutual Aid System, operated under the California Office of Emergency Services (OES). From the OES web site:

    “The Mutual Aid System is based on four organizational levels: cities, counties, regions, and the State. The state is divided into seven Law Enforcement Mutual Aid Regions. The County Sheriff serves as the “Operational Area Mutual Aid Coordinator”. [See note below] In each of the seven regions, one Sheriff, elected by his or her peers, serves as the Regional Mutual Aid Coordinator (RMAC). Cal OES Law Enforcement Branch has Assistant Chiefs assigned to each of the seven regions for direct coordination with law enforcement chiefs and sheriffs within each region.

    “The basic concept provides that within the operational area, adjacent or neighboring law enforcement agencies will assist each other. Should the event require assistance from outside the county, the region will provide requested assistance to the impacted county. If the combined resources of the region are insufficient to cope with the incident, the Regional Coordinator contacts the Cal OES Law Enforcement Branch for coordination of resources.”

    [Note: During declared emergencies counties become Operational Areas, consisting of a county and all political subdivisions within the county area. A state declaration is not required to request and provide mutual aid.]

    https://www.caloes.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/Law-Enforcement/Documents/LEMA-Quick-Reference-Guide.pdf

    My point is that there is system in place to deal with unusual events within the law enforcement community, and then there is still the ability of the Governor to use National Guard resources. This isn’t some hidden super-power. It’s day-to-day stuff in California.

  22. Joe Orton says:

    If you’ve lived in LA for a few years and have even a somewhat level head you will know these DTLA protests are fairly mild.

  23. SteveBev says:

    I
    Further thoughts on 10 USC 12406
    Grateful to the commentator up thread who responded to Comments by David Brook
    https://www.emptywheel.net/2025/06/09/how-can-pete-hegseth-invade-california-without-a-babysitter/#comment-1099634
    June 9, 2025 at 1:30 pm
    https://www.emptywheel.net/2025/06/09/how-can-pete-hegseth-invade-california-without-a-babysitter/#comment-1099638
    June 9, 2025 at 1:49 pm
    Also to the ever industrious Harpie whose thread provides a broader context , and many important considerations https://www.emptywheel.net/2025/06/09/how-can-pete-hegseth-invade-california-without-a-babysitter/#comment-1099833
    June 10, 2025 at 2:16 pm

    I post this as a separate thread, because it is forensically focused on a particular topic, within those discussions. My thoughts may have a bearing on the legal analyses we await in the briefing due today. And I hope to return to the matter once I have absorbed those briefs.

    Trumps best argument may mirror or incorporate the analysis by Chris Mirasola , in his 2nd piece on the topic.

    There is a 10th Amendment aspect to this as raised by California, which I am mindful of, informs my thoughts, and which I note Mirasola does not address at all. I simply note that aspect for the time being, have not delved into constitutional aspects here, but I do suggest there is strong reason to think they support California’s position.

    • SteveBev says:

      II
      My Contentions are these

      i the significant words in s 12406 are “call”and “orders for these purposes shall be issued through the Governors”

      i“Call” is not synonymous with “order”

      iii “call into service” is not synonymous with with “order into service”

      iv “Call” is a “request” ; it is also “an alert”

      v An “order” is a “requirement”;

      vi A requisition is an order

      vii A requisition into service is not a call or request

      viii Though the President may “call”
      “Orders for these purposes” (as predicated in s12406)
      are, by exclusion, NOT to be made through any officers of federal government,
      “but shall be made through” the chief officer of State Government (and as otherwise provided for in DC)

      ix Though the President may have various powers to order into active service/ requisition State National Guard
      this s12406 is not such a power as those powers.

      x “These purposes” are
      (a) the factual circumstances satisfying one of the enumerated predicates, together with
      (b) release by the State into Federal service National Guard units and members to assist in such circumstances are being addressed

    • SteveBev says:

      III
      “10 U.S. Code § 12406 – National Guard in Federal service: call”
      https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/10/12406

      the President may
      •call • into Federal service
      members and units of the National Guard of
      any State
      in such numbers as he considers necessary to repel the invasion, suppress the rebellion, or execute those laws.

      Orders
      for these purposes
      shall be issued through the governors of the States or, in the case of the District of Columbia, through the commanding general of the National Guard of the District of Columbia.

      https://open.substack.com/pub/stevevladeck/p/156-federalizing-the-california-national
      David is right that Steve Vladek opined

      “As the brevity of this statute should make clear, this provision provides no additional substantive authority that the federal government did not already possess. There’s nothing these troops will be allowed to do that, for example, the ICE officers against whom these protests have been directed could not do themselves. And because of the Posse Comitatus Act, the reverse is not true; there is plenty that these troops cannot legally do that the ICE officers can (once they are federalized, National Guard troops become functionally indistinguishable from federal regulars for purposes of the Posse Comitatus Act).”

      But SteveV was not interpreting the meaning of the clause :

      “• Orders for these purposes shall be issued through the governors of the States •
      or, … etc.”

      Which California contends
      this clause gives its Governor a role in the decision making process as per their complaint for declaratory relief

      https://oag.ca.gov/system/files/attachments/press-docs/ECF%201%20-%20Complaint%20NG.pdf

    • SteveBev says:

      IV
      In his 2nd piece on the statute Chris Mirasola
      [The Governor’s Role in Federalizing the National Guard Under 10 U.S.C. § 12406 | Lawfare https://www.lawfaremedia.org/article/the-governor-s-role-in-federalizing-the-national-guard-under-10-u.s.c.-12406
      10 June 2025 ]
      Argues:

      “While § 12406 guarantees some role for the state, it is likely far more minimal than what California asserts”

      Which obviously begs the question what role?

      Mirasola notes that in its original 1903 form the statute does not contain the clause at issue. The clause was inserted in the 1908 amendment. Unfortunately, the legislative history contains no explanation for this amendment. Thus we are left with the text alone.

      California contends for consultation with the Governor

      Mirasola argues :
      California’s position is a robust, likely overly robust, way to interpret
      “Orders …shall be issued through the Governor”,
      and he does so as follows in 3 arguments —-

      1 “issue”
      means according to Merriam Webster
      “to put forth or distribute usually officially,” …. This suggests a more ministerial,
      rather than substantive, involvement with the federal orders issued by the president.

      SB Contra: Mirasola does not put sufficient emphasis on the nuance “OFFICIALLY” where a Federal Statute specifies that a STATE Constitutional Officer shall be the OFFICIAL source of the ORDER

      2 (a point to which I will return) Ca Statutes extensively delegate decisions to their Adjutant General.

      SB Contra: a) the Fed Statute specifies the State Commander in Chief issue the orders. Delegation under State law and regulations do not undermine that
      b) the Governors are bound by State Constitution and Law. Ca Law extensively provides for the Governor’s actions in his capacity as Commander in Chief and in particular when there are
      “Calls and requisitions” of National Guard units and personnel.
      The distinction between call (= alert/request) OT1H and requisition (= order/require) in California Law as in relevant code s146 at (b)
      Mirrors the like distinctions in Federal Statutes on the same subject matter.

      3 there is little historical precedent

    • SteveBev says:

      V
      In developing his arguments Mirasola prefaced these substantive points by way of a preamble which I think is perhaps too fed-centric, but worth considering.

      “There are a variety of statutory authorities under which Congress has authorized the president and other executive branch officials to bring
      [SB NOTE: bring, which is not the same as order]
      the National Guard (and members of the reserve components, like the Navy Reserve) into federal service. Provided in Chapter 1209and 1211 of Title 10, they are often quite specific: authorizing mobilization to respond ( link ) to a request for assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency under the Stafford Act or responding to a weapons of mass destruction attack ( link )to take just two examples.”

      A closer examination of the examples tends to support my contentions rather than the propositions he goes on to make.

      Both the links relate to different parts of
      10 USC 12304
      But Mirasola has overlooked 10 USC 12304 (d) Limitations

    • SteveBev says:

      VI
      10 U.S. Code § 12304 – Selected Reserve and certain Individual Ready Reserve members; •order• to active duty other than during war or national emergency

      “(a) Notwithstanding the provisions of section 12302(a) [active duty limit 24 months]
      or any other provision of law,
      when the President determines
      that it is necessary to augment the active forces
      or that it is necessary to provide assistance referred to in subsection (b), he may authorize Secretary of Defense
      to •order• any unit,
      and any member not assigned to a unit organized to serve as a unit of the Selected Reserve ..etc…
      to active duty for not more than 365 consecutive days.
      b)Support for Responses to Certain Emergencies.—The authority under subsection (a) includes authority to
      •order a unit or member to active duty to provide assistance in responding to an emergency•
      involving—
      (1)a use or threatened use of a weapon of mass destruction; or
      (2)a terrorist attack or threatened terrorist attack in the United States that results, or could result, in significant loss of life or property.
      property.
      (c)Authority Relating to Significant Cyber Incidents.—
      When the Secretary of Defense or …
      determines that it is necessary to augment the active armed forces for the response ..

      to acovered incident,
      such Secretary may,
      order any unit

      to active duty for not more than 365 consecutive days.

      (d)Limitations.—
      (1)
      * No unit or member of a reserve component may be ordered to active duty
      * under this section to perform
      * any of the functions authorized
      * by chapter 13 [Insurrection ss251 et seq]
      * or section 12406 of this title
      or,
      except as provided in subsection (b) or subsection (c),
      to provide assistance to either the Federal Government or a State in time of a serious natural or manmade disaster, accident, or catastrophe”

      Nb The first category of limitations expressly refers to “functions authorized” by s12406 or s251, and groups the two together for a purpose.
      Compare with the second set of limitations which is “provide assistance” by refernce to described circumstances which is a different basis for grouping those limitations.

      So the statute here is deliberately contrasting
      the functions dependent on an authorisation process on the one hand
      with on the other mere factual circumstances which might form the basis for conditions precedent

      Further, and to drive the point home 10USC s251 sets out a very particular set of authorisation requirements

      “Whenever there is an insurrection in any State against its government, the President may,
      * upon the request of its legislature
      * or of its governor if the legislature cannot be convened,
      * call into Federal service
      * such of the militia of the other States, in the number requested by that State, and use such of the armed forces, as he considers necessary to suppress the insurrection.”

      So to use militia of another State (B) to quell an insurrection in State (A) there requires considerable input from the constitutional authorities of State (A)

      It is no answer that s12406 has less stringent conditions of authorisation than s251. Each is particular unto itself in the specifics, but both have authorisation requirements, involving State Officers, designed, crafted, intended and recognised here to place limits on Presidential edict, by reference to State Officers roles.

    • SteveBev says:

      VII

      With due respect to Mirasola I think this formulation mentioned above bears further scrutiny
      “There are a variety of statutory authorities under which Congress has authorized the president and other executive branch officials to bring the National Guard (and members of the reserve components, like the Navy Reserve) into federal service. Provided in Chapter 1209and 1211 of Title 10, they are often quite specific: authorizing mobilization to respond “

      The phrases “bring…into federal service” “authorising mobilisation to respond” have a tendency to apply a Fed- centric lens, and overlook the role of the State.

      If we look at the first section in, the first chapter mentioned by Mirasola
      Chapter 1209 begins with 10 USC 12301
      There are 2 points I want to make

      1 that the Governor has a role in specified circumstances where consent is required, see (b), (d) and (f) provide for circumstances where the Governors consent is required

      2 The process of bringing into Federal Service 12301 (e)

      “(e)The period of time allowed
      between the •date when• a Reserve ordered to active duty as provided in subsection (a)
      is •alerted for that duty • and
      the•date when the Reserve is required • to enter upon that duty shall be determined by the Secretary concerned based upon military requirements at that time.

      “(a)In time of war or of national emergency declared by Congress, or when otherwise authorized by law, an authority designated by the Secretary concerned may, without the consent of the persons affected, order any unit, and any member not assigned to a unit organized to serve as a unit, of a reserve component under the jurisdiction of that Secretary to active duty for the duration of the war or emergency and for six months thereafter.

      Which brings us back to 10 USC s12401

      “Members of the Army National Guard of the United States and the Air National Guard of the United States are
      not in active Federal service
      except when
      ordered thereto under law.”
      Note the word “Ordered” and the phrase “ordered …under law”

      This section must be read together with 10 USC s 12405 (obviously the immediately preceding section to 12406)

      “Members of the National Guard
      called
      into Federal service are,
      from the time
      when they are required to respond to the call,
      subject to the laws and regulations governing the Army or the Air Force, as the case may be, except those applicable only to members of the Regular Army or Regular Air Force, as the case may be.”

      Note the words “called into” “from time” “when required to respond to the call”

      So there is a clear distinction in meaning between “ordered into active service”
      and “called into”;
      and the gap between the two is the period between the call / the alert and the time when service person is required to respond to the call
      And it is at that latter point in time when the individuals become subject to Federal Military jurisdiction
      And this point is reinforced by 10 USC s12301 (a) and (e)

    • SteveBev says:

      VIII
      So the issues here are not merely a political pissing contest between two Sovereigns, but affect the jurisdiction to which individuals and units are subject, including penalties for disobedience.

      S12406 reflects the formal handover of Command Authority in a military and juridical sense. Who does it is important, because it is upon orders on their authority signed and issued in their name through their Office that they are ordered to duty and subject to penalty, and the timetable from alert to call to being ordered into duty is in the Name of the Governor as befits the limited role in support of Federal Authorities s12406 contemplates for the National Guard.

      Mirasola as noted above refers to the California MILITARY AND VETERANS CODE – MVC
      DIVISION 2. THE MILITARY FORCES OF THE STATE [100 – 567] 
      As “extensively delegating to the Adjutant General “ but I doubt whether delegation is the issue.

      And so hand waving loyalty dismisses this formality. But as we have had frequent cause to note formality has legal significance, and formality can be the embodiment of being a public display of matters of deep constitutional significance.

      There are obvious complex interpretive issues in considering State Statutes to interpret Federal Statutes, with obvious complexity of State Constitutions and Federal Constitutions coming into play.

      But I will make these points in conclusion
      1 This California Code is extensively detailed and carefully considered and constructed (cf Florida and Texas equivalents)

      2 There are in ss 100, 101, 148 detailed conformity and interpretative provisions

      3 s146 provides https://law.justia.com/codes/california/code-mvc/division-2/part-1/chapter-2/article-2/section-146/
      “146. The Governor
      * may
      * call into active service
      any portion of the active militia as may be necessary, and if the number available be insufficient, the Governor may call into active service any portion of the unorganized militia as may be necessary,

      in any of the following events:

      (a) In case of war, insurrection, rebellion, invasion, tumult, riot, breach of the peace, public calamity or catastrophe, including, but not limited to, catastrophic fires, or other emergency, or imminent danger thereof,

      * or resistance to the laws of this state
      * or the United States.

      (b) Upon
      * call or
      * requisition of
      the President of the United States.
      … “

      5 Merriam Webster
      https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/requisition
      1
      a the act of formally requiring or calling upon someone to perform an action
      b a formal demand made by one nation upon another for the surrender or extradition of a fugitive from justice

      2
      a the act of requiring something to be furnished
      b a demand or application made usually with authority: such as
      (1) a demand made by military authorities upon civilians for supplies or other needs
      (2) a written request for something authorized but not made available automatically

      3 the state of being in demand or use

      • Rayne says:

        Wow. Thanks for this analysis.

        I’m glad this site’s algorithm and your network provider aligned today to keep all your posts out of auto-mod, but numbering them sequentially is much appreciated given the possibility any one of them could have been pulled to auto-mod.

        • SteveBev says:

          @Rayne
          Thank you.
          I avoided the auto mod by waiting to post n3 until n2 had cleared etc and I trusted to luck that each post was short enough

          @harpie
          Having enjoyed your effort, I thought I should add my 2 cents worth

      • SteveBev says:

        VIII [ correction edit; I fell at the final hurdle]

        And so Mirasola hand-waving-ly* dismisses this formality.
        But, as we have had frequent cause to note, formality has legal significance: formality can be both the embodiment and a public display of, matters of deep constitutional significance. And there is good reason to believe such is the case here.

  24. SteveBev says:

    Hearing
    Klarsfeld thread on bsky
    https://bsky.app/profile/klasfeldreports.com/post/3lrgrf44szc2t

    I note
    5 mins in
    “Judge Breyer on 10 U.S. Code § 12406:

    “It is a very short statute but it has a number of requirements, and I need to know whether that statute was complied with.”

    Trump “cited the statute. This was his authority in federalizing the National Guard.

    10 mins in
    Breyer then reads from 10 U.S. Code § 12406:

    “Orders for these purposes shall be issued through the governors of the States.”

    He emphasizes:

    “It says ‘shall.’ Not ‘may.’ Not ‘might.'”

    The DOJ’s claim? Trump sent the order “through” him, but Breyer says:

    “I don’t understand how something is “through” somebody if you didn’t sent it to him.”
    https://bsky.app/profile/klasfeldreports.com/post/3lrgsa6frdc2t

    DOJ: “I think there’s no doubt on this record that Gov. Newsom was fully aware of this order.”

    Judge Breyer:

    “Why even bother putting the governor? Why not just say the commanding officer of the National Guard should be notified?”

    Shumate: “He has expressed his views publicly.”

    Breyer notes that was after the National Guard was federalized.

    Shumate: There’s one commander in chief of the Armed Forces. …

    Judge Breyer: “It’s not the commander in chief of the National Guard. ”

    Breyer: “The question really is? Did he comply with the statute? That’s the first question.”

    Shumate argues that the order went to the adjutant general, who acts in the name of the governor.

    Judge Breyer: “You’re telling me the President acted on evidence?”

    DOJ’s Shumate: Of course.

    Judge: Did he have to?

    Shumate answers no because it “would be a nonjusticiable [matter] for the court.”

    Judge Breyer summarizes the DOJ’s position: “If he says it, it’s so.”

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