U.S. Capitol Police are investigating a report that Rep. Andy Harris, RD, on Thursday tried to take a gun to the home floor, a department spokesman said.
During a vote in the House Thursday afternoon, Harris was stopped at security and he immediately turned around. He spent a short time with Rep. John Katko, RN.Y., at the elevators and possibly discussed the weapon with Katko, according to a report by HuffPost.
“One security officer present saw a firearm on the person of Rep. Harris and handed it to his superiors,” a Capitol official told NBC News. “To be clear, Rep. Harris did not enter the floor. ‘
The metal detectors were ordered by speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-California, after the deadly riot on January 6 at the Capitol. They became a hotbed among some Republican members, and sometimes they created tension with the police.
Some Republican members struggled by running magnetometers and subduing their towels. Despite the threat of fines, at least half a dozen officers eluded or brushed past the officers at one through Thursday.
The Capitol official added that members of the House were allowed to carry firearms “in the halls and on the Capitol grounds, including the Capitol Building, but not the floor,” adding that “ammunition must be compartmentalized separately.”
Harris’ office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Alex Moe contributed.