By Blake Haas
BLOOMINGTON – According to one Central Illinois lawmaker, new security systems installed at the Capitol is “all for show” and takes away resources from Capitol police who face threats outside the complex.
On Tuesday, House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi ordered metal detectors to be installed in front of the doors to enter the House floor after the Capitol’s insurrection last week.
Congressman Rodney Davis (R-Taylorville) told WJBC’s Scott Miller that the threat is outside the complex and not the inside.
“Nancy Pelosi and her leadership team decided to put magnetometers and capitol police officers on the inside of the Capitol to make us go through magnetometers before we go onto the house floor. There is absolutely no threat inside that Capitol parameter, and it’s all because of political correctness, and it’s all for show. What it does is (it) takes away the resources from our capitol police who should be securing the areas outside the capitol complex where we know there are known threats.”
On Monday, the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) warned of possible riots in all 50 state capitols leading up to the Presidential Ignoration.
“We as the federal government are much better prepared to deal with armed protest around the U.S. Capitol,” added Davis. “And I know that our local law enforcement and our local leaders, state leaders like Gov. Pritzker are putting every avenue in place to make sure that this does not happen. Let’s hope the intelligence doesn’t not pan out, but let’s be prepared.
“Because frankly, a lack of preparation and a lack of information sharing is what lead to the Capitol being overrun a week ago. And me and my colleagues, Republicans, and Democrats, being rushed off the House floor by the same Capitol Police officers and the same Sargent in arms officials, who, unfortunately, are now making us walk through metal detectors to get back into them.”
On Tuesday, Gov. Pritzker activated nearly 200 Illinois National Guard members to protect the Presidential Ignoration. Around 100 of those troops are based in Bloomington and Springfield.
Blake Haas can be reached at [email protected].
