John Garamendi: The House Democrat says lawmakers bringing guns to the Capitol would be “a danger to other members”

John Garamendi: The House Democrat says lawmakers bringing guns to the Capitol would be “a danger to other members”

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When asked by CNN’s Brooke Baldwin if, in relation to members who tried to bring weapons to the Capitol, he thought one of his fellow members of Congress could harm him, the California Democrat replied, “Of course.”

“Why would you put a gun on the floor? Do you want to get punched or do you want to get into a shootout?” he said. “You don’t have to have a gun on the floor of the House or even in any Capitol complex or offices. It’s a very, very safe place.”

When asked if he was afraid that an armed Republican in the House might shoot him, Garamendi replied: “I would be – yes, I am concerned that any member who brings a gun to the Capitol, to a courtroom, to the buildings of offices or entering or entering the House plenary poses a danger, a danger to me and a danger to the other members of Congress and the team. There is no need to have weapons anywhere in this complex. ”

Garamendi’s comments came after some House Republican freshmen emphasized bringing firearms to the Capitol, raising concern among several Democrats in attendance.

One, Rep. Lauren Boebert, was shot in a campaign ad swearing to carry his Glock gun around the Capitol, and the Colorado Republican said she would take her gun to Congress. The district has strict gun laws and the Washington police chief warned the congresswoman that she is subject to the same laws as everyone else in the nation’s capital.

Meanwhile, Congressman Madison Cawthorn said in an interview with Smoky Mountain News last week that he was armed when a crowd broke into the Capitol.

“Fortunately, I was armed, so we would have been able to protect ourselves,” the North Carolina Republican told the newspaper.
Garamendi is not alone in expressing concerns. Virginia Democratic Congressman Don Beyer told NBC News in an interview published on Thursday: “There is a general feeling that maybe if some of them had guns – and probably those who like conspiracy theories and QAnon most with the satanic pedophile rings – – are we protected from them? “

Metal detectors were installed on Tuesday outside the House plenary and members are required to pass through them to reach the chamber.

“There have been growing tensions with certain incoming freshmen for months, who insist on bringing firearms, violating the law and guidelines,” said a House Democrat in a reference to Boebert, Cawthorn and others.

“There are concerns about the armed members in hand, but we also don’t know who they are going to bring into possession to bypass the metal detectors,” said another Democrat in the House. “Until there is an investigation and until we understand the level of complicity of our colleagues in the attack, we don’t know how involved they really were. Until we have the answers, I don’t think we should trust them – not all of them, of course, but some of them. “

Several Republicans were furious at the new measures this week and some shouted at Capitol Police officers who were on metal detectors. Boebert triggered the metal detectors and initially refused to show the police what was in his bag before being allowed into the chamber.

The House will soon move forward with a rule change proposed by Mayor Nancy Pelosi, a California Democrat, imposing heavy fines on members who refuse to follow the new security rules. The fine – $ 5,000 for the first offense and $ 10,000 for the second offense – will be deducted directly from the members’ salaries by the managing director.

Garamendi suggested on Friday that, in addition to the fines for having a gun on the floor of the House, “I would suggest that it is also a potential reason for being totally expelled from Congress”.

According to the US Capitol Police website, firearms are prohibited on Capitol grounds, even if someone has a possession license from Washington, DC or a state. Police officers who are performing their official duties and meet “certain established criteria” may be allowed to transport their weapons to the Capitol. The Washington Post reported in 2018 that guns are banned in legislative chambers, with the exception of their gun sergeants.

CNN’s Jake Tapper, Daniella Diaz, Manu Raju and Chandelis Duster contributed to this report.

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