Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson. AP Photo/Danny JohnstonGov. Hutchinson stated that sending troops to the frontier using private money is "a bad precedent."He said, "This is a function of the state," to Dana Bash, host of CNN's "State of the Union."Gov. Noem was presented with a donation that will be used to support efforts at the US-Mexico frontier.Subscribe to the 10 Things in Politics Daily Newsletter.GOP Governor Asa Hutchinson, Arkansas Governor, stated Sunday that sending troops from a state's National Guard to the US-Mexico Border using private funds is "a bad precedent."Dana Bash, CNN's anchor for "State of the Union," asked Hutchinson questions about his fellow Republican governor. Kristi Noem used a donation from Tennessee billionaire Willis Johnson for 50 South Dakota National Guard soldiers to the border.Hutchinson announced last week that he would send National Guard troops from Arkansas to help at the border. This is the latest in a series of GOP-led national pushes to highlight the increase in illegal migration to the border in recent months.Hutchinson, however, isn't using private funds and Noem was chastised for doing so."Would it be possible to use a political contribution to send your troops to border?" Bash was curious.Hutchinson responded, "Not for that purpose." This is a function of the state. It is how we respond to disasters in other states.He said, "It would be a bad precedent for it to be privately funded." As you can see, when we look at supplemental pay for state employees, private foundation money is used. So it's not a blanket rule against that."Read more: Capitol Hill staffers discuss the side jobs and side gigs that they do to survive on low wages, from bartending to delivery of takeout to bartendingJohnson, who directed South Dakota's funding through his family foundation, told The New York Times last Wednesday that he wanted security at the border.Continue the storyHe said that illegal immigrants are coming into South Dakota and that he believes they should follow American laws. "South Dakota is small." They want America to be helped, and I want to do the same.Former congresswoman, Noem, is considered a potential 2024 GOP presidential contender. She said Johnson's $1 million donation was "a surprise."The governor is continuing to increase her national profile with conservative voters by sending troops to the border.Last week, she stated that the border was a national security emergency that requires the National Guard to provide a sustained response. "We shouldn't make our communities less secure by sending our Highway Patrol or police to fix a long-term issue President Joe Biden seems unable to or unwilling to resolve."GOP Gov. Ron DeSantis was another potential 2024 presidential candidate. He deployed state law enforcement officers at the border.Business Insider has the original article.
