“Yesterday,” said the anonymous Guardsman, “dozens of senators and congressmen walked down our lines taking photos, shaking our hands, and thanking us for our service. Within 24 hours, they had no further use for us and banished us to the corner of a parking garage. We feel incredibly betrayed.”

As well they should.

Our National Guardsmen, summoned to DC from across the nation to protect Joe Biden and his fellow Chicken Little Democrats from the Trump-supporting hordes who never showed, had been staying within the Capitol confines, including the Dirksen Senate Office building, while they rotated through their 12-hour security shifts. Then the Capitol Police summarily told them to grab their gear and get the hell out. No explanation. From there, as Politico reports, “The group was forced to rest in a nearby parking garage without internet reception, with just one electrical outlet, and one bathroom with two stalls for 5,000 troops, the person said. Temperatures in Washington were in the low 40s by nightfall.”

Our National Guardsmen are tough enough, and they’ve no doubt gone to ground under worse conditions. But still, why would the Capitol Police treat them so shabbily?

Apparently, a single Guardsman was found to be without a mask somewhere in a federal building — and that was just too much for one Massachusetts Democrat.

As Breitbart reports, “According to a source, Rep. Bill Keating (D-MA) reported to the Capitol building authorities earlier in the day that a National Guardsman was seen in a Dunkin’ Donuts without a mask on. After Keating commented out loud that masks were required to be worn at all times in a federal building, the National Guard member responded, ‘I appreciate my freedom,’ according to the source.”

It’s unclear where, exactly, the Dunkin’ Donuts is located, but suffice it to say that National Guard commanders are now looking for the Guardsman who dared fire back at some smart-mouthed Mask Nazi in a donut shop.

It’s also unclear why Keating hasn’t made so much as a peep about Joe Biden and his family having very publicly flouted that very same mask mandate. Did it ever occur to Keating that maybe this Guardsman, having just finished protecting the Biden inaugural from the mortal threat of a legion of Trump supporters, was simply “celebrating,” like the Biden family was?

Why, it’s almost as if these Democrats are guilty of hypocrisy.

A day earlier, Keating had staged a little photo op with some Guardsmen from his home state. “Grateful for the opportunity today to thank some of the members of @TheNationsFirst deployed to DC from MA,” Keating tweeted for the folks back home. “Thank you to all the guardsmen and guardswomen (from all 54 guards) who have stepped away from family and work to protect the seat of our democracy [sic]. A job well done!”

Oooh, but if I catch just one of you 26,000 without a mask…

We’ll say this: Those Beltway folks sure do have some mighty clean parking garages. If only someone could’ve sprung for another couple of Porta-Johns for our troops.

Word of this travesty spread quickly, and Republicans took to Twitter to take the Democrats to task. “Speaker Pelosi and Majority Leader Schumer,” demanded House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, “why are American troops who are tasked with keeping security at the Capitol being forced to sleep in a parking lot? They deserve to be treated with respect, and we deserve answers.”

The Guardsmen were allowed back into the Capitol Thursday night, but the message from our Beltway elite had already been sent and received.

“If this is true, it’s outrageous,” harrumphed Schumer. “I will get to the bottom of this.”

It is true, Chuck. And it was outrageous. And our troops deserved better.