House GOP Wants Pelosi Fined For Breaking New Screening Rule That She Pushed To Be Implemented
Republicans in the House of Representatives are calling out Speaker Nancy Pelosi for failing to abide by the tighter security measures being implemented at the Congress chamber which she herself pushed to be passed last week.
House GOP members argued that the Democratic Speaker broke her own rules and should pay a $5,000 — the fine set for those who will fail to comply with new security screening rules before entering the House floor.
GOP lawmakers call for Pelosi to be fined over failing to abide by new screening rule that she pushed to be implemented https://t.co/XtfMzYPbbf pic.twitter.com/wPYCt7L2Rl
— The Hill (@thehill) February 6, 2021
“Yesterday, at approximately 9:59 am, multiple members observed the Speaker of the House entering the House Chamber without completing security screening,” Republicans on the House Administration Committee said in a letter they sent to acting Sergeant-at-Arms Timothy Blodgett.
“What was observed was a clear violation of House Resolution 73 and you are required by House Rules to impose this fine,” they added.
“Please inform us once the fine has been assessed. We look forward to a prompt response to this inquiry.”
Last Tuesday, Speaker Pelosi ordered that magnetometers be installed at the House entrance as a safety measure in the wake of the January 6 Capitol Hill riot. All House members were then required to pass through those metal detectors put up outside the House chamber.
As some lawmakers refused to walk through the detectors before entering the House chamber — the Democratic Speaker moved to add a penalty for non-compliance — slapping lawmakers a $5,000 fine for first violation and a $10,000 penalty for each offense thereafter.
GOP calls out Pelosi’s ‘political stunt’
Republicans hit the new protocol and called it an “atrocity” and a violation of their Second Amendment right.
Under the direction of Speaker Pelosi, magnetometers are at entrances to the House floor. Members of Congress are not allowed to perform their duty to vote on behalf of their constituents without going through this “security” checkpoint. @GOPLeader needs to formally protest.
— Larry Bucshon, MD (@RepLarryBucshon) January 13, 2021
“Under the direction of Speaker Pelosi, magnetometers are at entrances to the House floor. Members of Congress are not allowed to perform their duty to vote on behalf of their constituents without going through this ‘security’ checkpoint. @GOPLeader needs to formally protest,” Rep. Larry Bucshon (Indiana) said.
For members of Congress to enter the floor of the U.S. House, we now have to go through intense security measures, on top of the security we already go through. These new provisions include searches and being wanded like criminals. We now live in Pelosi’s communist America!
— Congresswoman Debbie Lesko (@RepDLesko) January 13, 2021
“For members of Congress to enter the floor of the U.S. House, we now have to go through intense security measures, on top of the security we already go through,” Rep.Debbie Lesko (Arizona) tweeted. “These new provisions include searches and being wanded like criminals. We now live in Pelosi’s communist America!”
Rep. Greg Steube (Florida) called the magnetometers an “atrocity.”
“Take note, America. This is what you have to look forward to in the Joe Biden administration,” he said.
Rep. Lauren Boebert (Colorado) — who earlier went viral for vowing to carry a gun in the Capitol —cited her Second Amendment right which she said is being violated by Pelosi’s new mandate.
“I am legally permitted to carry my firearm in Washington, D.C. and within the Capitol complex,” she said. “Metal detectors outside of the House would not have stopped the violence — it’s just another political stunt by Speaker Pelosi.”
No complaint (yet) against Pelosi for violation
While some Republicans were already fined for bypassing the security screenings like Representatives Louie Gohmert (Texas) and Andrew Clyde (Georgia), the acting Sergeant-at-Arms argued that he has yet to receive a complaint from the Capitol Police about Pelosi’s violation.
First GOP lawmakers fined $5,000 for bypassing House security screenings https://t.co/yx77xvF0mm pic.twitter.com/6XvdwIzXyL
— The Hill (@thehill) February 6, 2021
“House Sergeant at Arms imposes the fine after receiving an unusual occurrence report from the United States Capitol Police (USCP),” Blodgett reportedly said. “An unusual incident report from the Capitol Police is appended to the document sent to the Member providing notice of the fine.”
He explained that despite the accounts of Pelosi’s violation “only the USCP can determine whether an individual has failed to complete security screening.”
“I have not received any unusual incident report from the USCP concerning the Speaker of the House,” he added.
This is not the first time that the top-ranking Democrat has made deadlines for breaking rules — and getting away with it.
Last September, Speaker Pelosi was caught violating a local ordinance when she visited a shuttered San Francisco hair salon to get a wash and blow-out despite COVID-related restrictions that time.
Despite the violation, San Francisco Mayor London Breed defended the highest-ranking House Democrat and made former President Donald Trump her escape goat.
“We have a terrorist, we have a dictator who is running this country and Nancy Pelosi is at the forefront fighting against this person,” Breed, who is also a Democrat said.
