Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Joining me now. He is a National Guard colonel. He's
been Emergency Management Officer for the National Capital Region, now
Liaison officer for Defense Support of Civil Authorities. He's in
the DC parking lot right now. He is Colonel Josh McConkey.
First of all, welcome to the show.
Speaker 2 (00:17):
Thank you very much, appreciate you having me on. I'm
at the headquarters at Tindel Air Force Base. It's actually
in Florida, not physically in DC.
Speaker 1 (00:24):
My apologies. Thanks for clarifying that. Let's talk about what
actually happened yesterday and what that means in practice. What
did you hear yesterday?
Speaker 2 (00:33):
So just addressing some of the crime issues. Having been
in Washington, D C. For three years myself as a commander,
I've had several colleagues attacked.
Speaker 3 (00:42):
I had one of my colleagues had.
Speaker 2 (00:44):
Their son who worked at the White House was assaulted
last year, was beat very severely, had some permanent vision
damage and some things. So, you know, crime is a
very real deal there in Washington, D C. And this
is just simply getting things under control to have a
safe nation capital.
Speaker 1 (01:00):
And you know, I love Washington, DC, and I always
tell people I think every American wherever you are in
the country, you should plan and take a vacation and
go to Washington, d C. And see all the monuments
and go to the museums and do all the history.
But make sure you're back at your hotel by eight
because it's not safe to be outside after that. That's
the reality, and it's not okay. And one of the
(01:22):
things that I heard i listened to press conference this morning,
this president wants our capital to be a shining, beautiful
model city for the rest of the country. I really
think that's his intention, But what does that mean in practice?
What happens from this point forward.
Speaker 2 (01:40):
So really, what you're going to see is you're just
going to see men and women from their own community.
That's why a lot of people join the National Guard
is to serve your community. So they're going to be
called in and they won't be doing police activities per se,
because there's a Posse Commatatis Act that prevents that if
you're on federal orders.
Speaker 3 (01:58):
But they're going to be able to fulfill a lot
of the roles that the Washington d C.
Speaker 2 (02:03):
Police and firefighters and social workers. They're going to be
able to do some of their jobs. That then freeze
them up to address these issues in Washington d C.
These are your friends and neighbors out in your community.
Speaker 1 (02:15):
But what does this mean in terms of when people
say this is the first step to authoritarian rule? What
is the actual authority of the president here?
Speaker 3 (02:23):
So the authority it was well established.
Speaker 2 (02:25):
It was a congressional law passed in nineteen seventy three,
so the.
Speaker 3 (02:29):
DC Home Act. Washington d C. Is not a state.
Speaker 2 (02:33):
It has always been a federal district of Columbia, and
in nineteen seventy three they gave Washington d C. The
ability to do some very limited self rule. But Congress
has always retained that authority. Nothing has changed. They've had
this authority since it was since it was Washington d C.
And then even since nineteen seventy three they've they've kept
(02:55):
that authority over them.
Speaker 1 (02:56):
So how long does that authority last permanently? Is there
a span of time I was under the impression I
don't know where I got thirty days? But how long
does that last?
Speaker 2 (03:06):
Yeah, so the administration is announced thirty days. I think
that's a very reasonable window of time to evaluate how
things are progressing, and they'll reevaluate it after that thirty
days and see what else needs to be done or
if the mission is complete.
Speaker 1 (03:20):
So what is this going to look like for your
normal citizens who should be worried here?
Speaker 3 (03:25):
I don't think anyone needs to be worried.
Speaker 2 (03:27):
They need to be celebrating that the crime issues are
being addressed. I know if I saw the things happening
in my community where I live in North Carolina, I
would very much want there to be some intervention and
if you had that resource. Yeah, I have three children.
I want a safe environment for my family. This isn't
a political issue. This is about safety in our nation's capital.
Speaker 1 (03:51):
Is there any concern that by bringing in FEDS you
are either undermining local authority in a way that is
not helpful on the long term or is there a
hope that and this is what I'm hoping is that
it works, and when it works, other large Democrat mayors
will go, Wow, that actually worked and maybe try to
replicate some of the same stuff. Do you think that
(04:13):
there's any possibility or if there is a possibility, what
would success look like in your world? You know, is
it for me? Is the crime rate below the national average?
That would be a stunning success.
Speaker 2 (04:26):
So you know, for me, just having crime lowered, especially
the violent crimes, the muggings, the carjackings, the assaults. You know,
that's what I've seen just personally with some colleagues that
had been injured over the past year. So you know
that can't happen in our nation's capital. That's the face
of the country. That's where people, foreign indignitaries, people from
(04:47):
all over the world go to visit, and needs to
be a safe environment. So that's not really a political
issue success. There is just a safe community for you
and your family. And these DC Guard members there are ready,
they live there, this is their home.
Speaker 3 (05:02):
So these are just your friends and neighbors.
Speaker 1 (05:04):
So how long did he say how long they were
going to be deployed? How long is this deployment? What
does that look like?
Speaker 3 (05:09):
It's planned right now at thirty days?
Speaker 1 (05:12):
That's right now.
Speaker 3 (05:12):
You're going to reevaluate after that.
Speaker 1 (05:14):
Okay, that's where the thirty days came from. I was like, Mandy,
how do you have thirty days in your head? Colonel
Josh McConkie. I hope you're right. I mean, I hope
that it goes as planned. What I find really really
interesting is that once again President Trump is essentially forced
democrats into a position where they seem to be on
the side of criminals, and i'm I'm you know what,
(05:34):
it's kind of interesting to watch that happen. I appreciate
your time today very much, sir.
Speaker 3 (05:39):
Yes, ma'am, thank you very much.
Speaker 1 (05:41):
All right, that is Colonel Josh McConkey.
Joining me now. He is a National Guard colonel. He's
been Emergency Management Officer for the National Capital Region, now
Liaison officer for Defense Support of Civil Authorities. He's in
the DC parking lot right now. He is Colonel Josh McConkey.
First of all, welcome to the show.
Speaker 2 (00:17):
Thank you very much, appreciate you having me on. I'm
at the headquarters at Tindel Air Force Base. It's actually
in Florida, not physically in DC.
Speaker 1 (00:24):
My apologies. Thanks for clarifying that. Let's talk about what
actually happened yesterday and what that means in practice. What
did you hear yesterday?
Speaker 2 (00:33):
So just addressing some of the crime issues. Having been
in Washington, D C. For three years myself as a commander,
I've had several colleagues attacked.
Speaker 3 (00:42):
I had one of my colleagues had.
Speaker 2 (00:44):
Their son who worked at the White House was assaulted
last year, was beat very severely, had some permanent vision
damage and some things. So, you know, crime is a
very real deal there in Washington, D C. And this
is just simply getting things under control to have a
safe nation capital.
Speaker 1 (01:00):
And you know, I love Washington, DC, and I always
tell people I think every American wherever you are in
the country, you should plan and take a vacation and
go to Washington, d C. And see all the monuments
and go to the museums and do all the history.
But make sure you're back at your hotel by eight
because it's not safe to be outside after that. That's
the reality, and it's not okay. And one of the
(01:22):
things that I heard i listened to press conference this morning,
this president wants our capital to be a shining, beautiful
model city for the rest of the country. I really
think that's his intention, But what does that mean in practice?
What happens from this point forward.
Speaker 2 (01:40):
So really, what you're going to see is you're just
going to see men and women from their own community.
That's why a lot of people join the National Guard
is to serve your community. So they're going to be
called in and they won't be doing police activities per se,
because there's a Posse Commatatis Act that prevents that if
you're on federal orders.
Speaker 3 (01:58):
But they're going to be able to fulfill a lot
of the roles that the Washington d C.
Speaker 2 (02:03):
Police and firefighters and social workers. They're going to be
able to do some of their jobs. That then freeze
them up to address these issues in Washington d C.
These are your friends and neighbors out in your community.
Speaker 1 (02:15):
But what does this mean in terms of when people
say this is the first step to authoritarian rule? What
is the actual authority of the president here?
Speaker 3 (02:23):
So the authority it was well established.
Speaker 2 (02:25):
It was a congressional law passed in nineteen seventy three,
so the.
Speaker 3 (02:29):
DC Home Act. Washington d C. Is not a state.
Speaker 2 (02:33):
It has always been a federal district of Columbia, and
in nineteen seventy three they gave Washington d C. The
ability to do some very limited self rule. But Congress
has always retained that authority. Nothing has changed. They've had
this authority since it was since it was Washington d C.
And then even since nineteen seventy three they've they've kept
(02:55):
that authority over them.
Speaker 1 (02:56):
So how long does that authority last permanently? Is there
a span of time I was under the impression I
don't know where I got thirty days? But how long
does that last?
Speaker 2 (03:06):
Yeah, so the administration is announced thirty days. I think
that's a very reasonable window of time to evaluate how
things are progressing, and they'll reevaluate it after that thirty
days and see what else needs to be done or
if the mission is complete.
Speaker 1 (03:20):
So what is this going to look like for your
normal citizens who should be worried here?
Speaker 3 (03:25):
I don't think anyone needs to be worried.
Speaker 2 (03:27):
They need to be celebrating that the crime issues are
being addressed. I know if I saw the things happening
in my community where I live in North Carolina, I
would very much want there to be some intervention and
if you had that resource. Yeah, I have three children.
I want a safe environment for my family. This isn't
a political issue. This is about safety in our nation's capital.
Speaker 1 (03:51):
Is there any concern that by bringing in FEDS you
are either undermining local authority in a way that is
not helpful on the long term or is there a
hope that and this is what I'm hoping is that
it works, and when it works, other large Democrat mayors
will go, Wow, that actually worked and maybe try to
replicate some of the same stuff. Do you think that
(04:13):
there's any possibility or if there is a possibility, what
would success look like in your world? You know, is
it for me? Is the crime rate below the national average?
That would be a stunning success.
Speaker 2 (04:26):
So you know, for me, just having crime lowered, especially
the violent crimes, the muggings, the carjackings, the assaults. You know,
that's what I've seen just personally with some colleagues that
had been injured over the past year. So you know
that can't happen in our nation's capital. That's the face
of the country. That's where people, foreign indignitaries, people from
(04:47):
all over the world go to visit, and needs to
be a safe environment. So that's not really a political
issue success. There is just a safe community for you
and your family. And these DC Guard members there are ready,
they live there, this is their home.
Speaker 3 (05:02):
So these are just your friends and neighbors.
Speaker 1 (05:04):
So how long did he say how long they were
going to be deployed? How long is this deployment? What
does that look like?
Speaker 3 (05:09):
It's planned right now at thirty days?
Speaker 1 (05:12):
That's right now.
Speaker 3 (05:12):
You're going to reevaluate after that.
Speaker 1 (05:14):
Okay, that's where the thirty days came from. I was like, Mandy,
how do you have thirty days in your head? Colonel
Josh McConkie. I hope you're right. I mean, I hope
that it goes as planned. What I find really really
interesting is that once again President Trump is essentially forced
democrats into a position where they seem to be on
the side of criminals, and i'm I'm you know what,
(05:34):
it's kind of interesting to watch that happen. I appreciate
your time today very much, sir.
Speaker 3 (05:39):
Yes, ma'am, thank you very much.
Speaker 1 (05:41):
All right, that is Colonel Josh McConkey.
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