Democratic Staffer Called Police on Colbert Crew After Hearing Loud Noises, Chief Says

A staffer working for Rep. Jamaal Bowman (D-N.Y.) on June 16 called the U.S. Capitol Police (USCP) on the nine production crew members for “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert” who were subsequently arrested in a House office building, according to USCP Chief Thomas Manger.

The staffer, whose name was redacted, heard a man shouting outside his office, according to a letter from Manger to Reps. Rodney Davis (R-Ill.) and Jim Jordan (R-Ohio).

“Do you remember me? Do you remember me? It’s me. We’re going to leave something under your door,” the man shouted, the staffer told the police. The man also banged on the door to Rep. Lauren Boebert’s (R-Colo.) office, which is adjacent to Bowman’s office.

The staffer said he was very concerned. He locked his office door and called the USCP emergency number.

Officers rushed to the scene, inside the Rayburn House Office Building, and found seven individuals, including Jake Plunkett, senior producer and director for Colbert’s CBS show.

Two additional individuals returned to the area about 20 minutes later. They told officers they had been wandering around the building. None of the people had congressional press identifications, and there were no congressional staffers with them, which meant they were illegally inside the building.

Spokespersons for Bowman and Boebert didn’t respond to requests for comment.

Previously Warned

One of the officers who responded to the scene recognized the group. He had stopped them earlier in the day, Manger said.

The officer said he was patrolling in the Cannon House Office Building and noticed the group trying to stop members to conduct interviews. The officer found the group lacked press credentials and had no staff members with them. He told them that the group couldn’t be inside without a staff escort and removed them from the building.

The group was escorted into yet another

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