National Security

House Cancels Scheduled Votes After Report Of Possible Threat To Capitol, Senate To Stay In Session

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House leadership announced that it would adjourn legislative business for the week on March 3, after Capitol Police announced that a militia group possibly posed a threat to the Capitol’s security on March 4. The Senate will still be in session.

“After tonight’s vote series, no further votes are expected in the House this week,” Louisiana Rep. and Republican Whip Steve Scalise wrote in an email to House Republicans that was obtained by the Daily Caller. The House will vote on the For The Politicians Act and the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act before the chamber adjourns on Wednesday night, according to the email.

A senior Republican aide confirmed to the Daily Caller that floor votes were canceled.

The cancellation comes after Capitol Police announced that it would increase security around the Capitol building following reports of a possible threat on March 4. The Capitol Police received intelligence that a militia group, which it did not name, was possibly plotting actions against the Capitol. 

Meanwhile, in the Senate votes have not been canceled.

“It’s unclear why the House decided to cancel votes when the Senate plans to be in session all day and voting in the Capitol all day tomorrow,” a senior Republican Senate aide told the Daily Caller.

The House’s acting Sergeant at Arms later circulated an email to all members of Congress in which he recommended that members “consider telework options through Saturday for staff who don’t need to be onsite.” The email, obtained by the Daily Caller, explains that Capitol Police will be sending extra officers to the Capitol due to “additional interest in the Capitol for the dates of March 4-6 by a militia group.”

Those officers will help implement “additional security measures… at our vehicular and pedestrian access points.” Law enforcement officials “will also be visible in the areas outside of our perimeter.”

March 4 is a day considered important by some QAnon conspiracy theorists. Followers of the conspiracy theory believe that former President Donald Trump will be sworn into his second term of office on March 4, since presidents were inaugurated on March 4 before Franklin Roosevelt’s second inauguration in 1937, according to USA Today. (RELATED: ‘We’ll Have You Talk To Him About That Later’: Klobuchar Shuts Down Questions About New QAnon Rally)

Police officials did not announce a link between the QAnon theory and the stated threat.

The Capitol Police did not respond to multiple requests for comment from the Daily Caller.