Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-TX) and Rep. Andrew Clyde (R-GA) “were each fined $5,000 on Friday for refusing to go through a metal detector before entering the House chamber,” Huffington Post reported on Saturday, February 6, 2021. Read story here.
Hanging up your guns at the door is a new rule at the U.S. Capitol, but hardly unprecedented in American history. Somebody even made a movie about it.
Predictably, Republicans now allege Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), who is behind the rule, also violated it and should be fined, too (read that story here). But infractions are based on Capitol Police reports, and there’s no police report against Pelosi.
Photo above: Rep Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA), who has advocated murdering Democrats, is frisked at the Capitol. Video below: Excerpt from the movie “Tombstone.”
… While it may seem over the top for a member to have a firearm on the House floor, and it does seem a member should not need one, but members of Congress don’t lose their individual rights. … While there are 2nd amendment issues … it is Article 1 Section 6 that the rule may violate. … [This comment has been edited.]
The 2nd Amendment issue is no different from a metal detector at a courthouse or airport, and Art. I Sec. 6 only applies to arrests not fines.