Ohio governor says National Guard member suspended over ‘white supremacist’ posts

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine (R) announced at a Friday news conference that a member of the state’s National Guard has been removed from duty after the FBI found he made white supremacist remarks on social media posts.

“While I fully support everyone’s right to free speech, guardsmen [and] women are sworn to protect all of us, regardless of race, ethic background or religion,” DeWine said. “Anyone who displays a malice toward specific groups of Americans has no place in the Ohio National Guard.”

I want to take a moment to address a situation regarding a member of the @OHNationalGuard, who was removed from the mission in Washington, DC, after the FBI uncovered information that this Guardsman expressed white supremacist ideology on the internet prior to the assignment.

— Governor Mike DeWine (@GovMikeDeWine) June 5, 2020

On Tuesday, the Pentagon requested additional National Guard troops from Ohio and other states in response to Washington, D.C., protests over police brutality and the death of George Floyd, who died last Monday during a Minneapolis police arrest.

The governor tweeted an additional statement about the FBI’s discoveries, saying that due process will take place, but that he expects the guardsman, who was not identified, would be permanently removed from the Ohio National Guard. The guardsman is currently suspended from all missions.

Following due process, it is highly likely that this individual will be permanently removed from the @OHNationalGuard. I have directed General Harris to work with Public Safety Director Tom Stickrath to set up a procedure so occurrences like this do not happen in the future.

— Governor Mike DeWine (@GovMikeDeWine) June 5, 2020

The Ohio National Guard and the Ohio Department of Public Safety are working in conjunction with the FBI on further investigations into the now-suspended member.

Some 100 National Guard members were sent to D.C. to assist in suppressing the protests, DeWine said.