Several members of late-night host Stephen Colbert’s staff including a senior show producer were arrested late Thursday for unauthorized presence in the U.S. Capitol Building, the same charge many of those arrested during the January 2021 incident have been charged with.
The seven members were arrested by U.S. Capitol Police who were responding to reports that they were in an area where U.S. House members’ offices are located without proper authorization.
Fox News reported:
The group of seven people were arrested in the Longworth House Office Building after being escorted out of the Jan. 6 committee hearing earlier in the day because they did not have proper press credentials, according to sources.
The same group resurfaced later on Thursday night after the Capitol complex was closed to public visitors and Fox News is told that they took videos and pictures around the offices of two Republican members of Congress, Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy R-Calif. and Rep. Lauren Boebert, R-Colo.
A senior source in the U.S House of Representatives told Fox News that seven individuals associated with Stephen Colbert’s show were arrested.
“Members of Colbert’s team could have been in House office buildings if they were invited, which they were. Fox News is told that Colbert’s team conducted interviews earlier on Thursday with members of the Jan. 6 Committee, including Reps. Adam Schiff, D-Calif. and Stephanie Murphy, D-Fla. They also interviewed Rep. Jake Auchincloss, D-Mass.,” the report added.
Capitol Police told the network they received a call about a disturbance in the congressional building around 8:30 p.m. Thursday evening. After officers responded, the seven members of Colbert’s staff were arrested. Police say additional charges could be filed.
“On June 16, 2022, at approximately 8:30 p.m., U.S. Capitol Police (USCP) received a call for a disturbance in the Longworth House Office Building. Responding officers observed seven individuals, unescorted and without Congressional ID, in a sixth-floor hallway,” said a statement from the department.
“The building was closed to visitors, and these individuals were determined to be a part of a group that had been directed by the USCP to leave the building earlier in the day,” the statement added. “They were charged with Unlawful Entry. This is an active criminal investigation, and may result in additional criminal charges after consultation with the U.S. Attorney.”
Fox News host Tucker Carlson on Friday accused Rep. Schiff of allowing the group into the Capitol and accused the group of insurrection.
“Last night, producers for Stephen Colbert’s CBS show committed insurrection at the United States Capitol,” he said during his opening monologue. “[Democratic U.S. Representative] Adam Schiff illegally gave producers from CBS access to the Capitol. And then the group… remained in the Longworth House Office Building after hours.”
“It is likely that some members of Stephen Colbert’s team will be held in solitary confinement for a year and half without being charged,” he added. “Because this is an insurrection. And actually, joking aside, how could they not be held? … The precedent is in place.”
“It’s exactly like what happened on January 6th,” he said. “So, we’ll take a close look at what the punishments are.”
WATCH:
Stephen Colbert's producers just committed insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. pic.twitter.com/8lHkIcCYld
— Tucker Carlson (@TuckerCarlson) June 18, 2022
