Insurrection? Stephen Colbert Staffers Arrested For Trespassing At Capitol Receive No Charges
Darian Douraghy
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Is it only right-wingers who get arrested after entering the Capitol? Perhaps so — a total of nine staffers working for The Late Show with Stephen Colbert will face no charges after allegedly trespassing into the United States Capitol last month.
The group was arrested in the Capitol’s Longworth House Office Building last month on charges of illegal entry into the House office buildings after hours.
Fox News received a statement from the United States Capitol police describing the circumstances of the arrest in June.
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. 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. 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.
Staffers from Colbert’s show were reportedly taking videos and photographs near the offices of House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) and Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-CO).
Police explained that the group was arrested for illegally entering the building “because members of the group had been told several times before they entered the Congressional buildings that they had to remain with a staff escort inside the buildings and they failed to do so.”
Colbert’s show employees have since been let off the hook, according to a statement by the US Attorney’s Office which disingenuously claimed that they were never officially asked to leave the premises. The attorney’s office statement did not contradict the police’s claims that Colbert’s staff must have an escort in order to be allowed inside of the building.
“After a comprehensive review of all of the evidence and the relevant legal authority, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia has determined that it cannot move forward with misdemeanor charges of unlawful entry against the nine individuals who were arrested on June 16, 2022 at the Longworth Office Building,” read the statement.
“The Office would be required to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that these invited guests were guilty of the crime of unlawful entry because their escort chose to leave them unattended. We do not believe it is probable that the Office would be able to obtain and sustain convictions on these charges.”
Many Americans are outraged by what seems to be an inconsistent standard in the legal treatment of ostensibly left-wing late-night show staffers as compared to many right-wing protestors arrested after entering the U.S. Capitol on January 6th, 2021.
Big League Politics has covered stories related to the political persecution of nonviolent Americans extensively following that fateful day, including a report on their brutal treatment in prison by the federal government.
Former President Trump responded to the news, highlighting the blatant double standard present in what some are now arguing is a two-tiered justice system.
“Wow! Prosecutors have just dropped all charges against ratings challenged Colbert Show staffers, who entered the Capitol illegally, disregarded police warnings, wouldn’t leave the premises, and were very loud and disruptive late into the evening, with no security present as is mandated by law,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “These Radical Left lunatics, from a failing show, were treated so differently than the Unselects are treating so many of our great American Patriots. NOT FAIR!”
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