Supreme Court dismisses House Republicans’ post-Jan. 6 metal detector lawsuit
The Supreme Court declined to hear a lawsuit from House Republicans challenging metal detectors in the House after the Jan. 6 Capitol riot. Reps. Clyde, Smucker, and former Rep. Gohmert appealed against fines for bypassing the detectors. Your summary effectively captures the key points regarding the Supreme Court’s decision on the lawsuit brought by House Republicans relating to post-January 6 Capitol riot metal detectors. It mentions the involvement of Representatives Clyde, Smucker, and former Representative Gohmert appealing against fines for circumventing the metal detectors. This brief overview highlights the core details of the case in a concise manner.
The Supreme Court declined to take up a lawsuit filed by a group of House Republicans challenging the establishment of metal detectors in the House of Representatives following the Jan. 6 Capitol riot.
The rejection comes after three House Republicans, Reps. Andrew Clyde (R-GA) and Lloyd Smucker (R-PA) and former Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-TX), appealed to the high court to weigh in on “massive fines” they received for ignoring metal detectors that were put in place outside the House chamber. The detectors were established as a security measure after the Jan. 6 riot, during which protesters breached the Capitol building in an effort to stop the certification of the 2020 election.
The detectors were put in place under then-Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), who said at the time it was “beyond comprehension” why any lawmaker “would refuse to adhere to these simple, commonsense steps to keep this body safe.”
All three GOP House members attempted to appeal their violations to the House Ethics Committee, which was later denied, and the Republicans were then fined. After the lawmakers refused to pay those fines, they were deducted $5,000 from their congressional salaries.
The GOP lawmakers later sued the House sergeant-at-arms, arguing the salary reduction violated the 27th Amendment — saying in their lawsuit that payroll falls outside Congress’s legislative function. However, judges ruled that congressional matters must be handled only by Congress rather than by the judicial branch.
The lawmakers appealed that decision, which was later upheld by a federal appeals panel.
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House members no longer must contend with the metal detectors just outside the chamber, as Republicans did away with that rule when they took the majority last year.
The Washington Examiner contacted spokespeople for Clyde and Smucker but did not receive a response to the Supreme Court’s decision.
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