A group of Republicans from the House wasted no time in going after House Speaker Nancy Pelosi because they violated the new security measures she took earlier this week.
GOP legislators in the House Administration Committee sent a letter to Acting Sergeant Timothy Blodgett requesting that the newly implemented $ 5,000 fine be issued for failing to complete a security check before entering the house floor.
HOUSE ACCEPTS RULE TO FIND LEGISLATORS WHO REFUSE TO USE METAL DETECTORS
“Yesterday, at approximately 9:59 a.m., several members observed the Speaker of the House entering the House without completing the security check,” Republicans wrote Friday in a letter obtained by Fox News.
“What was noticed was a clear violation of House Resolution 73 and you must impose this fine according to the House Rules. Please let us know as soon as the fine has been assessed,” they continued. “We look forward to a prompt response to this inquiry.”
The House on Tuesday adopted a measure requiring all members to go through the magnetometers that Capitol Hill police erected outside the living room after the riot in Capitol last month.
Several Republican lawmakers, including representatives Lauren Boebert of Colorado and Louie Gohmert of Texas, flatly refused to walk through the metal detectors before entering the room, asking Pelosi to add a fine for non-compliance.
Lawmakers are now fined $ 5,000 for the first time violating the new security protocols, followed by a $ 10,000 fine for each additional violation.
Pelosi did not comment, but referred Fox News to Blodgett’s reply letter.
Blodgett told GOP committee members that he had not yet received a complaint from the Capitol police about alleged violation of Pelosi – the newly instituted procedure required for the acting sergeant to issue a fine.
“Home Sergeant on Arms imposes the fine after receiving an unusual report from the US Capitol Police (USCP),” he explained. An unusual incident report from Capitol Police is attached to the document sent to the member giving notice of the fine.
“Only the USCP can determine if an individual has not completed the security check, as only the USCP has sufficient training to determine whether USCP selection procedures are being complied with,” Blodgett continued. “I have not received any unusual incident report from the USCP regarding the Speaker of the House,” he added.
Republicans have rejected the new security measures, claiming that the threat comes from external forces, not from fellow members – a sentiment fueled by Democratic lawmakers.
GOP representatives Andrew Clyde of Georgia and Gohmert have been fined for escaping the new screening process.
Gohmert said he would contest the fine, claiming he went through the metal detector and then went through a side door to the bathroom before being needed on the floor of the house.
Even though he was not screened again before returning to the room.
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“Unlike in the movie ‘The Godfather,’ there are no toilets with tanks where one can hide a gun, so my entry to the floor of the house had to be a problem,” the Texas Republican said Friday. said in a statement.
“I will appeal the fine and take the necessary steps, especially as this policy is unconstitutional,” he added.
Fox News’ Chad Pergram contributed to this report.