House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., responded fast and furiously to the Jan. 6 Capitol riots that left Washington, D.C. reeling.
She and the Democrats quickly set up metal detectors on Capitol Hill — and the mandate forced fines upon any lawmaker who skirted the screening checks.
Needless to say, it riled up some of her friends across the aisle.
Now, it seems Pelosi may pay for it dearly.
She’s under threat of a lawsuit from Republican Rep. Andrew Clyde, R-Ga.
In fact, Clyde is saying that it’s all a part of his plan to drag Pelosi into court about what he’s says is the unconstitutionality of her rule.
Clyde opened up to Fox News about the incident, claiming that he took the $15,000 fines ($5,000 for a one time offense, and $10,000 for the second offense) on the chin in order to gain legal ground in court.
“I did that so we would have legal standing to take the case to federal court, and that’s exactly what I’m going to do.”
“It was all preplanned to make sure that we had legal standing,” he added.
Well, so far so good, it seems.
His fellow colleague Rep. Louis Gohmert, R-T.X. was also fined for skirting the metal detectors, and they are both appealing the fines in to the House Ethics Committee according to Fox News.
Gohmert — like Clyde — has suggested that the detector clamps down on their freedoms.
Early in February he opened up about his experience with Capitol Hill security, and how he was searched more extensively than Pelosi’s rule required.
Reportedly, Gohmert initially complied with going through the metal detector.
But when he went to the bathroom, he was instructed to go through screening again.
“I explained to the Capitol Police officer that I had never been required to be screened again from the restroom immediately by the House floor since the metal detectors had been in place at the other doors,” he said. “I said they had witnessed me walk the few feet to the men’s room, enter and take the few steps back. No one ever mentioned or made that a requirement until yesterday.”
“… Democrats are making up the rules as they go,” he said.
Now, Pelosi is being put on notice by Clyde and the Republicans.
Clyde — who is awaiting the verdict on his appeal of the $15,000 fines — will likely lose according to reports and quickly begin filing the lawsuit against Pelosi.
But that’s not all.
He says he’s ready to sue the Capitol Hill police and the House Sergeant at Arms to challenge the rule.
Apparently, this is deeper than getting back at Pelosi.
This is about protecting the second amendment.
The Horn editorial team