Several GOP congressional representatives refused to comply with metal detector scans at the Capitol barely a week after the building was ransacked and looted by a violent mob incited by Donald Trump, calling the scans “unconstitutional” and “communist.”
The situation at the Capitol is being reported on by national political journalists at the scene including the Huffington Post’s Matt Fuller and CNN’s Manu Raju — and the internet reaction is, unsurprisingly, fear and disgust.
Both reporters tweeted Tuesday evening they observed many Republican representatives refusing to walk through the metal detectors or even finding ways to go around it.
Some Democrats commented on the issue including New York City representative Grace Meng. “As we speak, my colleagues from the @GOP party of ‘law and order’ are literally blowing past the @CapitolPolice, talking back to them and refusing to go through the metal detectors installed today to protect us from them. Yet another way they are endangering our lives,” Meng said Tuesday evening.
Meng’s fellow NYC Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez was quick to point out the hypocrisy: “All these GOP ‘pro-police’ slogans were never actually about [sic] safety,” she said.
New York Magazine contributor Yashar Ali pointed out the hypocrisy in so-called “pro-law and order” representatives refusing a scan — “Again, this is the just comply/law and order/back the blue crowd,” he noted.
The metal detectors were installed to protect everyone inside the halls of congress, but GOP representatives are claiming the scans make them feel like “prisoners” and that they’re somehow unconstitutional. Even Representatives who are on record supporting metal detectors in other places, like schools, are somehow making the argument that they’re not appropriate in Congress. Fuller reported that GOP party member and Idaho representative Russ Fulcher “just pushed his way through. He went through the metal detector, set it off, ran into a cop, and then pushed his way past her.”
“60 Minutes” correspondent Wesley Lowery said in response to Fuller’s tweet that the congressman in question was likely committing a crime by doing that — “So he arguably assaulted a police officer rather than comply with a lawful order. Hmm,” Lowery said.
“Moments after VP Pence asks House Dems to ‘work together’ to ‘lower the temperature’ of the nation, a number of House Republicans pick a culture war fight over having to walk through metal detectors to get into the very Capitol building that was breached six days ago,” Lowery added.
Check out more reactions below.
Rep. Van Taylor is in front of me as I'm trying to go in to vote, refusing to pass through a metal detector and arguing with U.S. Capitol Police officers about it
— Rep. Don Beyer (@RepDonBeyer) January 13, 2021
As we speak, my colleagues from the @GOP party of “law and order” are literally blowing past the @CapitolPolice, talking back to them and refusing to go through the metal detectors installed today to protect us from them. Yet another way they are endangering our lives. 😡 https://t.co/jJAbj9ogTM
— Grace Meng (@Grace4NY) January 13, 2021
As we speak, my colleagues from the @GOP party of “law and order” are literally blowing past the @CapitolPolice, talking back to them and refusing to go through the metal detectors installed today to protect us from them. Yet another way they are endangering our lives. 😡 https://t.co/jJAbj9ogTM
— Grace Meng (@Grace4NY) January 13, 2021
To my colleagues who won't go through the metal detectors:
Have you ever had a job before? If you work at McDonald’s and you don’t wear the uniform, you don’t work that day.
If you won’t abide by the rules of this job, go find another one 👋🏾 https://t.co/rPO2xek1iB
— Cori Bush (@CoriBush) January 13, 2021
All these GOP “pro-police” slogans were never actually abt safety.
It was always abt upholding a system of state violence that targets Black ppl & ppl of color.
You can tell by how regularly GOP members defend crimes, reject accountability, & push officers when *they* want to. https://t.co/UDW0D8bg6Q
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) January 13, 2021
https://twitter.com/WesleyLowery/status/1349163797861294080
https://twitter.com/WesleyLowery/status/1349166081194270721
What in the ACTUAL FUCK pic.twitter.com/h6AHYRiZGQ
— Patton Oswalt (@pattonoswalt) January 13, 2021
https://twitter.com/AshaRangappa_/status/1349177120686276610
https://twitter.com/AshaRangappa_/status/1349162872211910659
90,000 students in NYC pass through metal detectors everyday on their way to school. I think Congress can do this https://t.co/Yp3sOI7iup
— Rebecca Klein (@rklein90) January 13, 2021
https://twitter.com/MollyJongFast/status/1349180986131701760
It’s conceivable that Lauren Boebert and Marjorie Taylor Greene are both serious GOP Presidential contenders in 2024. And that tells you about all you need to know about where we are today.
— David Plouffe (@davidplouffe) January 13, 2021
The House can set its own rules. Welcome to Congress. https://t.co/oN6H4OE5Gq
— Bradley P. Moss (@BradMossEsq) January 13, 2021
All these people in Congress complaining about the metal detectors have never made the mistake of trying to bring a glass bottle of Topo Chico into Coors Field.
— Andy McCullough (@ByMcCullough) January 13, 2021
Again, this is the just comply/law and order/back the blue crowd. https://t.co/lxYqdZa91M
— Yashar Ali 🐘 (@yashar) January 13, 2021
Republicans have no problem with metal detectors for your children at school.
But they whine and complain like toddlers when they themselves are forced to comply with the same safety measures. https://t.co/4m3ljNcgNn
— Rep. Dan Kildee (@RepDanKildee) January 13, 2021