A staffer for Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ) was arrested by Capitol Police just before the senator began his marathon speech on the Senate floor.
Kevin Batts, 59, was arrested by Capitol Police for carrying a pistol without a license. Batts is a special assistant to Booker, according to LegiStorm, and has worked for the senator in that role since November 2013, with a gap between February 2019 and February 2020.
“Yesterday afternoon a Member of Congress led an IDed staff member around security screening at the Hart Senate Office Building. Later that evening, outside the Senate Galleries, the IDed staff member — who is a retired law enforcement officer — told our officers he was armed,” Capitol Police told the Washington Examiner in a statement.
“All weapons are prohibited from Capitol Grounds, even if you are a retired law enforcement officer, or have a permit to carry in another state or the District of Columbia,” the statement concluded.
The Washington Examiner reached out to Booker’s office for comment on the arrest.
The arrest comes a month after a staffer for Rep. Andy Ogles (R-TN) was reportedly arrested at the entrance of a House office building with a loaded handgun in his handbag. Another incident earlier this year saw a man arrested after he got past security with a gun while on a tour of the Capitol building.
Booker began his marathon speech railing against the Trump administration’s policies on Monday evening at about 7 p.m. and was still speaking as of 4:00 p.m., with temporary breaks allowing other Democrats to speak.
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“Tonight, I rise with the intention of getting in some good trouble,” Booker said Monday evening at the start of his remarks. “I rise with the intention of disrupting the normal business of the United States Senate for as long as I am physically able.”
Booker is not filibustering any legislation being considered by the upper chamber of Congress but is still continuously speaking in a similar fashion to a filibuster.