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Republican House member Louie Gohmert
(EPA)
Two House Republican are believed to be the first to have been fined for bypassing metal detectors put into place after the Capitol riot.
Representatives Louie Gohmert and Andrew Clyde were both fined $5,000 (£3,640) for the security breach, a senior Democratic aide told CNN on Friday, while speaking on condition of anonymity.
Rep Gohmert, a Texas Republican, is among a number of GOP lawmakers who have reportedly refused to pass through metal detectors to access the House.
Others have also been seen willingly avoid passing through the security, causing tensions with Democratic members of the House in recent weeks.
The metal detectors were introduced in the aftermath of the attack on Congress by supporters of the former Republican president, Donald Trump, on 6 January, amid threats towards members of Congress.
Rep Gohmert, responding to the report on Friday, claimed to have passed through security when entering the House on Thursday, but stepped out to use the restroom.
That was when, the Republican said, he did not pass through the metal detector to the House, thereby breaching security, while bemoaning what he described as a “non-issue”.
“At no time until yesterday did anyone mention the need to be wanded after entering the restroom directly in front of the guards,” he told USA Today.
“Unlike in the movie The Godfather, there are no toilets with tanks where one could hide a gun, so my reentry onto the House floor should have been a non-issue,” the Republican added.
The rules imposing fines for any security breach – which include having to pass through metal detectors – were adopted on Tuesday by the House, as part of increased security for members of Congress.
Reps Louie Gohmert of Texas and Andrew Clyde of Georgia have both received notices of $5000 fine for skipping past the magnetometers outside the House chamber, Senior democratic aide confirms.
— Kristin Wilson (@kristin__wilson) February 5, 2021
It also comes after a number of Republicans complained about the extra security measures implemented by Democratic House speaker Nancy Pelosi in the aftermath of the 6 January assault on Congress.
Citing members who “want to bring guns on the floor” and have “threatened violence on other members,” Ms Pelosi added in a speech last month that “the enemy is within the House of Representatives. A threat that members are concerned about.”
According to the rules, lawmakers will be fined $5,000 fine for the first offence and $10,000 for the second, with both amounts deducted from lawmakers’ salaries by the Chief Administrative Officer.
Rep Clyde, a Georgia Republican, has not released a statement on the reports, but has been approached for comment by The Independent.
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