(PresidentialWire.com)- In the wake of the January 6 riots, which saw a small group of people separate from a peaceful pro-democracy protest organized by former President Donald Trump and illegally entered the Capitol Building on the day that the presidential electoral votes were certified, the Capitol Police’s intelligence unit is now reportedly scrutinizing the backgrounds of anybody who meets with lawmakers in the Capitol Building.
According to a report by Politico, which reviewed written communications from within the Capitol Police about additional security measures, agents are now examining the social media feeds of people visiting Capitol Hill regardless of whether or not they have a criminal record. The move has prompted widespread concern about violations of Americans’ civil liberties.
Officers spoke on the condition of anonymity and claimed that even staffers working on the Hill have been exposed to this scrutiny, with agents scrolling through social media feeds and any available background information to determine whether they may pose some kind of unexplained threat.
Republican Rep. Kelly Armstrong spoke out against the practice. Speaking as a former criminal defense attorney, he said that the situation sounds “dangerously close” to spying on members of Congress, their staff, their supporters, and their constituents.
Armstrong added that anybody involved with these new measures without making it publicly known to Congress and to those who are being investigated “should resign or be fired immediately.”
The Capitol Police also appeared to confirm that this is happening, issuing a statement defending the practice as helping them better “Understand what kind and how much security is necessary.”
Regardless of whether that’s even true, at what point were officials from the Capitol Police going to speak out publicly and admit that anyone entering the Capitol building is being secretly spied on?
