The Capitol building has heightened security after the domestic terrorist attacks of January 6, 2021. All house members now must go through metal detectors before entering the chambers and they are being told they can purchase bulletproof vests, get security training, and those expenses will be re-reimbursed.
Some republican members grew angry and refused to go through the metal detectors, but House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced $5,000 fines for a first offense and $10,000 fines for a second offense for any lawmaker that didn’t go through security.
Pelosi in a statement said she expressed her “deepest gratitude to the U.S. Capitol Police for the valor that they showed” during the pro-Trump riot and claimed some Republicans “disrespected our heroes by verbally abusing them and refusing to adhere to basic precautions,” by refused to go through the metal detectors.
Members of Congress on January 12, 2021 were also reminded not to carry guns outside of their own offices, including onto the floor of the House, reiterating an existing rule several House Republicans have publicly and privately lobbied against. Freshman Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.), who owns a firearm-themed restaurant in Rifle, Colorado. Caused some controversy last week when she vowed in a viral ad to bring her Glock to work. During the January 6 attacks Boebert also tweeted out the movements of Nancy Pelosi which would make it easier for rioters to find the House Speaker.
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), said in a Facebook live video that she had a close encounter on the day of the insurrection in which she thought she was going to die. Many members of the house were nearly assassinated. She sensed that something was wrong no only from the crowd violence but from the inside. She did not feel safe going to the extraction point to shelter inn place with other lawmakers, because there were QAnon adherents and white supremacists sheltering with her. She knew that given an opportunity, they would allow for her to be kidnapped and hurt.
Rep. Peter Meijer (R-Mich.), one of the 10 GOP members of Congress who voted to impeach President Donald Trump, said Thursday he believed his life might be in danger and he was planning to buy body armor to protect himself. Before the vote January 13, 2021, Rep. Jason Crow (D-Colo.) claimed more Republicans would have joined Democrats in impeaching Trump had they not been “paralyzed with fear” about the threats to their lives.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s lectern, stolen by a Florida man in Capitol riot, has been returned. She used the same lectern on January 13, 2021 after the House impeached President Donald Trump,a second time. From behind the lectern, she said the House demonstrated that “no one is above the law. Not even the president of the United States,” while calling Trump “a clear and present danger to the United States.” Before the impeachment, She personally thanked the troops and their families “for protecting the Capitol and our democracy.”
Rep, Mikie Sherrell (D-NJ), revealed that there were suspicious “tours” of the Capitol the day before the insurrection. There had been no tours allowed due to the pandemic. The sight was so unexpected that they called the Sargent at Arms. The only way the ours could have gotten in would be with a lawmaker or his staff. The next day during the insurection, the terrorists had inside information about the layout of the capitol building.
Lawmakers were warned of multiple potential threats between now and inauguration day, January 20, 2021. One alleged plot involved rioters potentially seeking to surround the Supreme Court and the Capitol with weapons, to prevent Democrats from entering Congress and allowing Republicans to control both chambers, the sources said. Members of Congress and their guests will have to go through through metal detectors for President-elect Joe Biden‘s inauguration next week, because of concerns from Democrats that GOP colleagues may have helped incite the riot or communicated with organizers.