The U.S. Capitol Police inspector general has officially agreed to take on the case and investigate the claims issued by one GOP lawmaker that stated that a group of officers executed an illegal search of his office back in mid-November.
The inspector general issued his agreement after receiving a special request directly from Capitol Police, as reported by The Hill. Tom Manger, the police chief, stated that the investigation was certainly necessary in order to “assure both this Committee, the Congress as a whole, and the public that these processes are legal, necessary, and appropriate.”
“The USCP does not conduct any ‘insider threats’-related surveillance or intelligence gathering on Members, staff, or visitors to the Capitol Complex,” he stated.
Recently, Freshman Rep. Troy Nehls (R-TX) issued an accusation at Capitol Police of carrying out an illegal investigation of his office and “photograph[ing] confidential legislative products.” Officials with the U.S. Capitol Police fought back against these claims from Nehls by way of a statement from Manger.
“USCP personnel personally followed up with the Congressman’s staff and determined no investigation or further action of any kind was needed. No case investigation was ever initiated or conducted into the Representative or his staff,” Manger stated. USCP “is sworn to protect Members of Congress. If a Member’s office is left open and unsecured, without anyone inside the office, USCP officers are directed to document that and secure the office to ensure nobody can wander in and steal or do anything else nefarious.”
Nehls issued his complaint against the police publicly in a thread on Twitter, accusing a group of three officers from the Capitol Police Intelligence Division of breaking into his office in order to go through his records illegally. One of the staffers for Nehls managed to catch the officers in his office, as stated by the congressan. Nehls stated:
On November 20th, 2021, Capitol Police entered my office without my knowledge and photographed confidential legislative products protected by the Speech and Debate clause enshrined in the Constitution, Article 1 Section 6.
Two days later on Monday November 22, 2021 (Thanksgiving week), three intelligence officers attempted to enter my office while the House was in recess.
Upon discovering a member of my staff, special agents dressed like construction workers began to question him as to the contents of a photograph taken illegally two days earlier.
.@CapitolPolice never informed myself or senior level staff of their investigation and the reasons are clear.
They had no authority to photograph my office, let alone investigate myself or members of my staff.
So, why is the Capitol Police Leadership maliciously investigating me in an attempt to destroy me and my character?
Maybe it is because I have been a vocal critic of @SpeakerPelosi, the @January6thCmte, and @CapitolPolice leadership about their handling of January 6th, the death of Ashli Babbitt and the subsequent SHAM investigation.
It has been rough sailing recently between GOP lawmakers and Capitol Police ever since the publication of a story from Politico back on the 24th of January that reported that “Capitol Police’s intelligence unit quietly started scrutinizing the backgrounds of people who meet with lawmakers.”