WH denies role in response to Ferguson riots By Alexandra Jaffe and Jim Acosta, CNN November 26, 2014 -- Updated 1622 GMT (0022 HKT) A police officer runs by a burning police car in Ferguson, Missouri, on Monday. Washington (CNN) -- A senior White House official told CNN on Wednesday that the Missouri lieutenant governor's claim that the White House prevented Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon from deploying the National Guard to curb rioting Monday night in Ferguson is "untrue." The White House pointed to Nixon's own comments denying any sort of pressure from them or the Justice Department and his statement that "politics has nothing to do with what anyone up here is doing" during a Tuesday-afternoon press conference. "Politics has not one bit to do with the tasks at hand and the responsibilities at hand and the seriousness of this mission," he said, according to Breitbart. Speaking Tuesday morning on Fox News, Missouri Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder slammed Nixon for, he said, keeping the National Guard away "while Ferguson burned." He was referencing the hours of rioting and looting that rocked the St. Louis suburb after a grand jury decided not to indict a white police officer who shot Michael Brown, an African American teenager, in August. More than 60 people were arrested during the demonstrations, and cars and property throughout the area were burned. On Tuesday, Nixon announced plans to up the National Guard presence in the area from around 700 Monday night to 2,200, according to the New York Times. Troops were directed to protect homes and businesses on Tuesday night, as protesters again took to the streets - a shift from Monday night, when they were largely confined to protecting government buildings.