Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe (D) said Thursday that his Texas counterpart’s decision to ask the State Guard to monitor a planned U.S. military training exercise was “one of the dumbest things” he’s ever heard.
McAuliffe offered his unsolicited take in an interview with WJLA’s Bruce DePuyt. The governor jumped into conversation at the top of the show after DePuyt previewed a later segment about Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s (R) decision to have the State Guard monitor the exercise, dubbed “Jade Helm 15,” to ensure that Texans’ rights are protected.
“I gotta say on the Texas situation, it has to be one of the dumbest things I’ve ever heard to bring out your guard to follow the military around,” McAuliffe told DePuyt.
The Virginia Democrat pointed out that his state is the country’s top beneficiary of defense spending and welcomed Texas businesses who consider Abbott’s use of the State Guard “a waste of time and resources” to come to Virginia.
“We’re too busy for that foolishness in Virginia,” he added. “We’ve got serious things to do.”
McAuliffe is the latest politician to pile on Abbott for asking a state agency to monitor federal troops. Some conservatives have only added fuel to the fire in recent weeks, though, by saying that they understand the concerns of Texans who believe “Jade Helm 15” is a cover for something more nefarious like the implementation of martial law.
