COLUMBUS, Ohio — Two members of the Ohio National Guard have been removed from serving at President-elect Joe Biden's upcoming inauguration after they were among several soldiers flagged by the FBI, 3News has confirmed.
A spokesperson for the Guard says the pair were taken off duty "out of an abundance of caution," but this move is not believed to be due to "criminal or threatening actions or activities." The exact reason for their removal is not known at this time, however.
More than 25,000 members of the National Guard from around the country is in Washington, D.C. this week for the inauguration, which has beefed up security following the deadly Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. Threats against the incoming president and others have continued in the days and weeks since, and the FBI decided to run additional vetting of those who have been tasked with protecting the event from potentially violent extremists.
The Guard announced Tuesday that 12 members in total had been removed from the inaugural support mission, mostly due to "questionable" behavior that doesn't necessarily indicate ties to extremists. Authorities emphasized that President-elect Biden was never in any direct danger.
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine activated the state's National Guard last week amid both the Capitol riots and fears of possible unrest in Columbus. While a pro-Donald Trump demonstration outside the Ohio Statehouse last Sunday was entirely peaceful, up to 1,000 of the state's soldiers will still be in D.C. for the inauguration.
The names of the flagged officers were not released.