Miller’s National Guard Plan Draws Fire From FitzGerald, Local Leaders

Max Miller's call for the National Guard to be sent to Cleveland is being called out as a fraud.

Congressman Max Miller’s proposal to deploy the Ohio National Guard to Cleveland has been met with sharp criticism from both his Democratic challenger and fellow members of the state’s congressional delegation.

In an op-ed published in the Washington Times, Miller argued that violent crime in Cleveland has reached a crisis point and called on Governor Mike DeWine to authorize a Guard deployment. He claimed that violent incidents justified having armed troops being sent into the city's streets.

Ed FitzGerald, Miller’s Democratic opponent, labeled the idea a "hypocritical fraud." FitzGerald said Miller has backed more than half a billion dollars in cuts to law enforcement programs this year, including community policing initiatives, victim services, and fentanyl interdiction efforts. FitzGerald contrasted his own background as an FBI Special Agent and prosecutor with Miller’s lack of law enforcement experience, arguing that Cleveland needs practical solutions and resources, not military deployments. "He voted to cut public safety programs that have been proven to reduce crime, and now he wants troops in the streets? This is why he is not taken seriously as a Congressman," FitzGerald stated.

Cleveland Congresswoman Shontel Brown also weighed in, calling Miller’s proposal misguided and politically motivated. “Let’s start by telling the President to stop cutting funding for violence prevention programs in our city, focus on getting guns out of the hands of criminals, and providing additional federal resources to our local partners,” Brown told WKYC Channel 3. “Bringing in the Guard would only sideline local law enforcement, distract from real emergencies, and create chaos for Clevelanders. The people of Cleveland want real solutions, not reality show stunts. Perhaps my colleague from the suburbs should turn his attention back to the fact that 22,000 of his constituents will lose health care because he voted to cut Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act to pay for tax cuts for the rich.”

When asked for a response, Republican Governor Mike DeWine pointed out that Ohio is a home rule state, and that deployments of the Ohio National Guard are considered only when the mayor of a city has requested them, which has not happened in this case.