Rep. George T. Whitesides (D-CA-27)

Today, Rep. Gil Cisneros (CA-31) and House Democratic Caucus Vice Chair Ted W. Lieu (CA- 36) led 34 House Democrats to condemn the reports that U.S. Marines detained a U.S. citizen and veteran last Saturday. 

“As Members of Congress, we take an oath to defend the Constitution — the same oath that you and every service member has taken…” the letter reads. “The use of our military service members in this situation, who have sacrificed so much to defend our country, is sickening and disrespectful. The Constitutional rights to free speech and peaceful assembly are hallmarks of our democracy. We must be united in protecting these rights.”

Rep. Nanette Barragán, Rep. Ami Bera, Rep. Salud Carbajal, Rep. Judy Chu, Rep. Gil Cisneros, Rep. Veronica Escobar, Rep. John Garamendi, Rep. Robert Garcia, Rep. Sylvia Garcia, Rep. Vicente Gonzalez, Rep. Maggie Goodlander, Rep. Pablo Hernández Rivera, Rep. Val Hoyle, Rep. Jared Huffman, Rep. Sara Jacobs, Rep. Pramila Jayapal, Rep. Mike Levin, Rep. Sam Liccardo, Rep. Ted Lieu, Rep. Zoe Lofgren, Rep. Dave Min, Rep. Eleanor Holmes Norton, Rep. Raul Ruiz, Rep. Brad Sherman, Rep. Lateefah Simon, Rep. Eric Sorensen, Rep. Norma Torres, Rep. Derek Tran, Rep. Juan Vargas, Rep. Nydia Velázquez, Rep. George T. Whitesides, Rep. Nikema Williams

"Representatives Jimmy Gomez (CA-34), Senator Adam Schiff (D-CA), Representative Nanette Barragán (CA-44), and 39 other California Delegation Representatives are demanding President Doanld Trump immediately withdraw the National Guard and U.S. Marines from Los Angeles, California. In a bicameral letter sent today, the lawmakers condemn the deployments as an unlawful overreach that bypassed state and local authority and urge the immediate withdrawal of the National Guard and Marines.

“We are writing to express grave concern regarding the deployment of the National Guard and the activation of 700 Marines to Los Angeles. These actions were taken without the consent of California Governor Gavin Newsom and over the objections of local law enforcement. It constitutes a clear violation of constitutional principles and law, and a grave overreach of executive authority,” wrote the lawmakers.

Rep. Pete Aguilar, Rep. Nanette Barragán, Rep. Ami Bera, Rep. Julia Brownley, Rep. Salud Carbajal, Rep. Judy Chu, Rep. Gil Cisneros, Rep. Lou Correa, Rep. Jim Costa, Rep. Mark DeSaulnier, Rep. Laura Friedman, Rep. John Garamendi, Rep. Robert Garcia, Rep. Jimmy Gomez, Rep. Jared Huffman, Rep. Sara Jacobs, Rep. Sydney Kamlager-Dove, Rep. Ro Khanna, Rep. Sam Liccardo, Rep. Ted Lieu, Rep. Zoe Lofgren, Rep. Doris Matsui, Rep. Dave Min, Rep. Kevin Mullin, Rep. Jimmy Panetta, Rep. Nancy Pelosi, Rep. Scott Peters, Rep. Luz Rivas, Rep. Raul Ruiz, Sen. Adam Schiff, Rep. Brad Sherman, Rep. Lateefah Simon, Rep. Eric Swalwell, Rep. Linda Sánchez, Rep. Mark Takano, Rep. Mike Thompson, Rep. Norma Torres, Rep. Derek Tran, Rep. Juan Vargas, Rep. Maxine Waters, Rep. George T. Whitesides