GOP lawmaker accuses Capitol Police of breaking into his office
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Rep. Troy Nehls. Photo: Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images
Freshman Rep. Troy Nehls (R-Texas) on Tuesday accused the U.S. Capitol Police of "illegally" entering his office and allegedly taking pictures of "confidential legislative products" in November.
What he's saying: "The [USCP] Intelligence Division investigated my office illegally and one of my staffers caught them in the act," Nehls tweeted.
- The weekend before Thanksgiving, "Capitol Police entered my office without my knowledge and photographed confidential legislative products protected by" the First Amendment.
- He said that days later, "three intelligence officers" attempted to enter his office and ran into one of his staffers, after which they allegedly "dressed like construction workers began to question him as to the contents of a photograph taken illegally two days earlier."
USCP Chief Tom Manger responded to Nehls' accusations, without using his name, saying that the incident involved a "vigilant officer" who "spotted the Congressman’s door was wide open" over the weekend.
- Manger added that the following Monday, "USCP personnel personally followed up with the Congressman’s staff and determined no investigation or further action of any kind was needed. No case investigation was ever initiated or conducted into the Representative or his staff."
- USCP "is sworn to protect Members of Congress. If a Member’s office is left open and unsecured, without anyone inside the office, USCP officers are directed to document that and secure the office to ensure nobody can wander in and steal or do anything else nefarious."
- A USCP spokesperson told Axios that Manger "stands by his officer."
State of play: Nehls said in a press release that after speaking with Manger, "it became clear that my office was under investigation and surveillance by USCP."
- Nehls added that he has asked the Capitol Police inspector general to look into the incident and they have accepted.
Editor's note: This story has been updated with additional details.
