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Connolly, Beyer call out Glenn Youngkin for Texas border political stunt

Chris Graham

Gov. Glenn Youngkin is spending $3.1 million of your dollars to send Virginia National Guard members to the Texas border, which created a nice backdrop for a political photo-op last week, but otherwise isn’t doing much good for anybody.

Gerry Connolly and Don Beyer are calling out the governor, who somehow thinks he has a shot at being a player in the 2024 Republican presidential race, for the political stunt.

“We urge you to end the Commonwealth’s deployment of 100 Virginia National Guardsmen and 21 support personnel to Texas Governor Abbott’s ineffective and inhumane “Operation Lone Star,” the Democrats wrote in a letter that they sent to the governor on Tuesday.

Doubtful that he reads the letter, of course.

Youngkin, currently polling at 0 percent in the crowded 2024 GOP field, which considering the margin of error might actually have him in arrears, signed an executive order back on May 31 that sent 100 National Guard soldiers and 21 support personnel to Texas.

The guv claimed that he was doing it because something something fentanyl interdiction, but Connolly and Beyer noted that around 90 percent of the fentanyl in the U.S. enters through legal ports of entry rather than through unauthorized crossings, “and often in the possession of U.S. citizens, not migrants.”

“Our Commonwealth values human life and dignity, and our National Guard troops make a great sacrifice to serve our public and reflect our values. We respectfully urge you to bring them home and end Virginia’s involvement in Operation Lone Star,” the congressmen wrote.

The full text of the letter is available here.




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Chris Graham

Chris Graham

Chris Graham is the founder and editor of Augusta Free Press. A 1994 alum of the University of Virginia, Chris is the author and co-author of seven books, including Poverty of Imagination, a memoir published in 2019. For his commentaries on news, sports and politics, go to his YouTube page, TikTok, BlueSky, or subscribe to his Street Knowledge podcast. Email Chris at [email protected]. Support AFP by signing up for our newsletter and/or powering our work with a one-time or monthly contribution.

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