(The Hill) – GOP Reps. Jim Jordan (Ohio.) and Rodney Davis (Ill.) are asking Capitol Police for more information after several staffers from “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” were arrested in the complex last week.
In a letter sent on Monday, the lawmakers told Capitol Police Chief J. Thomas Manger that the seven individuals on Colbert’s crew were a part of a group that was informed by Capitol Police to leave the building Thursday.
The lawmakers noted that the seven-member team gained access back to the Capitol building with the help of Reps. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) and Jake Auchincloss (D-Mass.), adding that it is unclear if the Jan. 6 House select committee had involvement with Colbert’s team plan in the Capitol. Schiff is a member of the Jan. 6 committee.
“These individuals were arrested and charged with unlawful entry after causing “disturbances” at the offices of several Republican members, including ‘banging’ on their office doors,” the lawmakers said in a statement.
“The individuals were originally in the Capitol Complex in connection with the activities of the January 6th Select Committee, but it is unclear whether the Select Committee had any involvement in or awareness of these individuals’ planned harassment of Republican offices.”
The lawmakers asked Manger to provide a report on the incident, witness statements and other material related to the crew’s arrest, as well as security footage and still photographs.
“Please provide this material as soon as possible. If you are unable to promptly comply with this request due to ongoing law-enforcement sensitivities, we ask that you certify to us that you have taken all necessary steps to preserve responsive material in the United States Capitol Police’s custody or control,” the lawmakers concluded.
CBS confirmed with The Hill on Friday that Colbert’s production team was detained by Capitol Police, saying that they were in the building to conduct interviews for a show segment.
Capitol Police said in its own statement that the individuals were detained and charged with unlawful entry amid responding calls of a disturbance at the Longworth House building.
“Their interviews at the Capitol were authorized and pre-arranged through Congressional aides of the members interviewed,” the network said in a statement, adding that “After leaving the members’ offices on their last interview of the day, the production team stayed to film stand-ups and other final comedy elements in the halls when they were detained by Capitol Police.”