House Republicans released a video Friday of Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, alleging she broke House rules by walking around the metal detectors before walking on the floor.
Republican Tennessee Rep. Tim Burchett reportedly provided the video to Politico, which shows Pelosi walking around the Capitol, but not specifically bypassing any metal detectors.
“Wanding was upon entering the Speaker’s Lobby,” Pelosi’s chief of staff, Drew Hammill, said when asked by the Daily Caller if Pelosi was scanned with a hand-held metal detector that the video doesn’t show. “You can see the Sergeant at Arms office staff holding the Mace of the House waiting for her to be wanded in the video.”
Republican Reps. Rodney Davis of Illinois, Barry Loudermilk of Georgia and Bryan Steil of Wisconsin sent a letter in February to the sergeant at arms demanding Pelosi pay $5,000 for allegedly breaking House rules she put into place. (RELATED: House Republicans Say Pelosi Broke Her Own Rules And Bypassed Metal Detectors, Demand She Be Fined)
The House installed magnetometers in early January and require all members of Congress to walk through them before entering the House of Representatives chamber after rioters supporting Trump stormed the U.S. capitol, committing acts of vandalism and violence.
“Any other non wheel chair bound member of Congress who followed the same route Speaker Pelosi did in the video would have been fined $5000,” Davis told the Daily Caller.
Hammill slammed Republicans for trying to accuse Pelosi of breaking House rules.
“What this video proves is that Congressman Rodney Davis is both the most desperate man in Washington and completely unfamiliar with the layout of the U.S. Capitol. The Speaker always enters the Chamber this way via the Speaker’s Lobby when she opens the House, which is reaffirmed by watching CSPAN footage. While we appreciate the Congressman’s latest, failed attempt at relevance, we do hope that he will consider a tour of the U.S. Capitol when pandemic protocols allow so that he may better familiarize himself with this temple of our Democracy,” Hammill said in a statement.
“The official CSPAN footage also clearly shows that Congressman Davis continues to blatantly lie by alleging he personally witnessed Speaker Pelosi’s entrance to the Speaker’s Lobby that day. He is seen talking to multiple other Members with his back to the Speaker’s Lobby the entire time,” he added.
Hammill also mentioned the acting sergeant at arms’ letter that said the United States Capitol Police found no violation.
WATCH THE VIDEO HERE:
Rs have new security video of Pelosi on 2/4 they plan to argue shows she entered Speakers Lobby to get onto House floor, claiming bc she didnt do metal detectors she skipped security protocol.
Falls on Cap police to determine violations. They did not report anything that day. pic.twitter.com/iLzz6DIRbQ
— Olivia Beavers (@Olivia_Beavers) April 23, 2021
Steil told the Daily Caller: “Magnetometers for thee, but not for me is Speaker Pelosi’s latest abuse of power. She created a bad rule by requiring members to walk through magnetometers before voting on her liberal agenda. Now she refuses to follow her own rule. Why am I not shocked. She should pay the fine and then end the rule once and for all.”
Davis told Politico: “I saw the video of Speaker Pelosi avoiding her own security screening procedures from Feb 4. I personally witnessed her doing so that morning. The video proves what our letter said back in February. It’s disappointing she has failed to hold herself to the same standards as others.”
The House Ethics Committee upheld two fines earlier in April against Republican Georgia Rep. Andrew Clyde — worth a total of up to $15,000 — for bypassing metal detectors before walking on the floor. (RELATED: Republican Congressman Hit With $15,000 In Metal Detector Fines Says He Will Challenge The ‘Unconstitutional Resolution’)
Clyde did not deny breaking the rules in a statement, but criticized Pelosi for implementing the rule, saying it is unconstitutional and that he will be challenging the resolution.
“Members of Congress take an oath to support and defend the Constitution, and I would like to be the first to invite Speaker Pelosi and Whip Clyburn to join my lawsuit to fight this egregious and unconstitutional House rule in federal court,” Clyde said in a Friday statement.