So Capitol Police called me today to come in for an interview.
They were pretty cryptic on what it was about, but it turns out they have two ongoing investigations that I was witness to: one, the potential assault of an officer by a Member of Congress, the other, Andy Harris.
The first investigation is about Rep. Russ Fulcher manhandling an officer who was at the metal detectors outside the House floor.
I saw him very aggressively brush a female officer aside after he set the magnetometer off the night of 1/12.
The interaction has definitely stuck with me, because he was very aggressive, yes, but also because that officer was pretty disturbed too.
I tried to ask her about it after, and while she wouldn’t say anything, she nearly had tears in her eyes.
Mind you: This was six days after January 6th, and the first night of the metal detectors outside the House floor.
These cops had been through an awful lot, and this Member really was...aggressive.
The other investigation was about Andy Harris bringing a gun to the House chamber, being turned away, and then asking Rep. John Katko if he would take the gun for Harris.
The cops wouldn’t tell me exactly what they were investigating about that incident, but judging by their questions, they were interested in determining whether Harris’s gun was concealed...
Anyway, I’m glad to learn they’re investigating both of these incidents.
The Fulcher interaction should have been bigger news. The officer must have reported it — as she should have. No civilian would get away with grabbing a cop like that and pushing them aside so forcefully.
After I saw Fulcher ignore the magnetometers the next day — and tweeted about it — he tweeted this thread.
Police are investigating two Congressmen over incidents at the metal detectors outside the House chamber: One for potentially assaulting an officer, the other for trying to bring a gun onto the floor.
I’ve also seen a statement floating around from Russ Fulcher — still waiting on them to return my request for comment! — but he makes it out like I’m the basis of this investigation.
Russ, the police called me. I’m thinking it was the officer you pushed.
Rep. Marie Newman didn’t just agree to give a political rival a cushy job so he wouldn’t run. They negotiated over her political positions—specifically, her positions on Israel.
This is embarrassing stenography that, at times, enters hagiography for insurrectionists…in the New York Times. nytimes.com/2022/01/23/us/…
I also have a news flash for the writers: Just because you didn’t enter the building doesn’t mean you were some peaceful protester or didn’t break the law.
The guy who is your lede anecdote was pictured on the Capitol grounds. Not exactly the peaceful patriot you describe.
You could probably fact-check this paragraph, if you’re going to write it.
Alright, so Lauren Boebert just sort of loudly opened a space blanket—like shook it free so that everyone could hear it in the chamber—and then just draped it on her lap.
I honestly don't know what it means.
She's just sort of casually sitting there with the blanket—one of those shiny silvery things. A thermal blanket, I believe is another name for it.
If it's some form of protest, it hasn't really had any effect in the chamber.
As the Robinhood hearing starts, the real action — apparently — is at the Natural Resources organizing meeting, where Rep. Jared Huffman (D-Calif.) is roasting Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.) for the gun shrine she’s constructed as a Zoom background.
Jared Huffman on Lauren Boebert: “If somebody wants to have a shrine to their gun fetish as a Zoom backdrop in their private life, they can do that. But this is our hearing room and at some point we will get past the Covid epidemic and we’ll all start showing up in person...”
“...and our safety and our ability to conduct business civilly, without feeling threatened, is a relevant consideration.”
Still thinking about Rep. Kelly Armstrong’s floor speech on 1/13, where he said voting against impeachment would give him credibility with his base and voting for impeachment would give Dems credibility with their base.
This is basically how GOP lawmakers think about things.