GOP Rep. Andy Harris Tries To Bring Gun Into House Chamber
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
Republicans keep complaining about the new metal detectors outside the House chamber. Now we know why. 
By Matt Fuller
WASHINGTON ― New security measures outside the U.S. House chamber prevented a Republican lawmaker from bringing a gun onto the House floor Thursday.
Rep. Andy Harris (R-Md.), who has repeatedly flouted the magnetometers that were installed near the House chamber after the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol, set off the metal detectors while trying to enter. When an officer with a metal detector wand scanned him, a firearm was detected on Harris's side, concealed by his suit coat. Police refused to let Harris in, and the officer signaled a security agent that Harris had a gun on him by motioning toward his own firearm.
HuffPost witnessed the interaction and later confirmed with a Capitol official that Harris was carrying a gun.
HuffPost watched Harris try to get another member to take the gun from him so he could go vote. The member, Rep. John Katko (R-N.Y.), told Harris he didn't have "a license" and refused to hold the weapon for him.
HuffPost also heard Harris complain to some fellow members that he had asked his staff to remind him about the screenings and they hadn't.
Harris then left on the elevators and 10 minutes later returned to the House chamber. He placed his cellphone and keys on a desk to the side, did not set off the magnetometer and was allowed to enter the House floor to vote on a waiver to allow retired Army Gen. Lloyd Austin to serve as President Joe Biden's defense secretary.
Congress has been in a heightened state of security since the Jan. 6 siege on the Capitol as both chambers of Congress were meeting to count states' Electoral College votes. Even though President Joe Biden has been inaugurated, there are still two large fences around the perimeter of the Capitol, and National Guard troops remain on the grounds.
During a security briefing with Democratic members early last week, some lawmakers suggested that members should have to go through a metal detector to get on the House floor. Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.) has said she'll carry a gun around D.C., which does not allow the open carrying of a firearm, and Rep. Madison Cawthorn (R-N.C.) told his local paper that he was armed when insurrectionists stormed the Capitol.
When House lawmakers came back Jan. 12 for their first votes after the attack, they found magnetometers outside entrances to the House chamber. Most members followed police orders and went through the metal detectors, but some Republicans sidestepped the machines or refused to be checked with wands after they set it off ― Harris among them.
In response, Capitol Police put desks and velvet ropes on the sides of the magnetometers to block members from walking around the machines, and Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said she will fine members who bypass screenings $5,000 for their first offense and $10,000 for their second.
Those fines are not yet in effect, as the House hasn't adopted those rules, and a few members continue to not comply with the screenings. On Thursday, HuffPost saw Andy Biggs (R-Ariz.), Rick Allen (R-Ga.) and Boebert all refuse to be wanded down after setting off the magnetometer.
But when Harris went through the metal detector Thursday and set it off, the police officer stepped in his way and directed Harris to spread his arms so he could use the handheld wand. Harris complied, and the officer found the gun on his side.
A spokesperson for the U.S. Capitol Police would only tell HuffPost that "USCP is investigating this matter," and when we asked for clarification on whether the USCP was aware that Harris had attempted to bring a gun onto the House floor, the spokesperson said the agency couldn't comment on "an ongoing investigation."
Members are allowed to carry a gun in the office buildings, in the Capitol and on Capitol grounds, but they are expressly forbidden from carrying firearms onto the floor. And guns in the Capitol are not supposed to be loaded. Members can carry bullets separately.
Individual officers who witnessed the situation also wouldn't comment. However, HuffPost heard officers talking about Harris having a weapon on him later Thursday afternoon.
Harris's office did not return multiple requests for comment, nor did Speaker Nancy Pelosi's office.
HuffPost did ask Pelosi for comment Thursday afternoon as she walked by the House chamber, but she told reporters she wouldn't be taking questions.
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Watch the video with the seed. It will probably aggravate you though.
Republicans keep claiming that they are "The Party of Law & Order".
But apparently many of them only support law and order for other people-- and feel that they themselves should not be required to obey the law!
Assholes...follow the rules
More BS from the self-described ''Law and Order party''.
Remove him from the senate permanently and he won't have to worry about carrying.
I think any of these republicans who refuse to use the metal detectors should also be removed.
Sounds to me like entitled pricks that think they don't have to follow rules or laws.
Where is the fing Ethics Committee?
HuffPost watched Harris try to get another member to take the gun from him so he could go vote. The member, Rep. John Katko (R-N.Y.), told Harris he didn't have "a license" and refused to hold the weapon for him.
I immediately thought of The Breakfast Club's John Bender hiding his weed stash in fellow detentionee Brian Johnson's underwear.
Why am I not surprised...
Jeez, I need to get some new material.
There's a concept known to many as "pick your battles."
I'm for the second amendment. I'm tempted to go into what that means, but I don't want to boor anyone. Instead, I wish to say that, concerning certain other second amendment advocates, they do our cause more harm than good. While I believe Harris should be able to take his gun where he wishes, having that right doesn't mean he should do so. Carrying a gun is not a fashion statement and it shouldn't be a political one, either. A gun is a tool. So is a circular saw. I wouldn't carry around a circular saw simply because I can.
And I totally get that the metal detector is a political stunt and nothing more. But Harris doesn't seem to get that he's playing right into Pelosi's hand by doing something that seems to justify it. I say seems because, really, it doesn't. The proof that it is simply a political stunt is the placement of the metal detector. It's pretty much useless. If some rabid, foaming at the mouth Republican, which is what the detector is designed to bring to mind, actually wanted to kill his/her colleagues they have the whole rest of the capitol to do it in and plenty of opportunity. In short, the detector is useless for it's stated purpose.
More, I recognize I am not a society of one. Harris' actions seems to suggest that he thinks he is. That it doesn't matter what his colleagues think or desire, only his matter. There is no purpose to bringing a gun into the house chamber other than to rub his views into others faces. Perhaps, in his mind, he thinks he is strengthening his cause but, in reality, he only creates a more implacable foe who will use his ignorance against him and the second amendment.
I'm assuming that the ban of guns on the House floor is to remove the possibility of a shooting happening during a heated argument in the House itself.
The argument being that the metal detectors will prevent another Brooks-Sumner affair.
This is all based on the fact that two q anon gun nuts are in Congress now. I think thats a sufficient reason to act.
Okay. That's at least plausible if unlikely, yet I stand by what I said. The positioning of the detector makes no sense, since someone who's going to shoot someone has ample opportunity to do so outside the chamber. It doesn't take much thinking to figure this out, which is why I think it is more a political ploy than anything else. It doesn't really do anything to prevent what it's supposedly intended to do.
Look at your own example. It happened two days after the offending speech. If that guy couldn't get at his victim inside the chamber he would have done it outside.
If he is an elected member of Congress, then he should be good enough to use his Second Amendment Rights anywhere in the USA. A Congressman is a little higher position than a town cop ( which is a respected position).
National Guard troops were carrying those evil black rifles in the capital, is a NG PFC to be trusted more than a member of Congress?
They were elected by their district Just like AOC and the squad. Their rights and the views of those who elected them are just a good.
On the floor of the house? Bullshit.
And that PFC is outside the halls of congress.
What... should people be able to take a piece into the courtroom... the supreme court even?
Law...order...accountability. Do you remember any of these words? Do you even care?
A congressman is in a higher position than a court bailiff who is armed in the courtroom. some judges are known to be armed.
Fuck that, he has to follow the same rules as the rest of us. If I cannot carry a weapon in that building then neither does his bitch ass.
This really isn't that difficult, if kids at schools can do it then I expected our elected officials to be able to manage.