July 18, 2022 6:33pm EDT
Charges dropped against Stephen Colbert staffers who were arrested for unlawful entry in House office building
The ‘Colbert 9’ were arrested in an unauthorized area of a U.S. Capitol building in June
By Lindsay Kornick , Chad Pergram | Fox News The "Colbert 9" were cleared of "unlawful entry" charges Monday after staffers for "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert" were caught recording comedy skits inside a House Office Building after hours without permission in June.
A statement from the U.S. Attorney’s office read: "After a comprehensive review of all of the evidence and the relevant legal authority, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia has determined that it cannot move forward with misdemeanor charges of unlawful entry against the nine individuals who were arrested on June 16, 2022 at the Longworth Office Building. The individuals, who entered the building on two separate occasions, were invited by Congressional staffers to enter the building in each instance and were never asked to leave by the staffers who invited them, though, members of the group had been told at various points by the U.S. Capitol Police that they were supposed to have an escort. The Office would be required to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that these invited guests were guilty of the crime of unlawful entry because their escort chose to leave them unattended. We do not believe it is probable that the Office would be able to obtain and sustain convictions on these charges. The defendants no longer will be required to appear for a scheduled hearing in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia on July 20, 2022."
The United States Capitol Police (USCP) released a statement saying they "respect the decision that office has made" and referred any questions about the decision to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.
Fox News is told the Capitol Police are upset about the decision to drop the charges, especially since the Colbert 9 were told on multiple occasions they weren’t supposed to be there. Sources close to the Capitol Police also tell Fox this undercuts law enforcement as they try to secure the Capitol complex after the riot.
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https://www.foxnews.com/media/charges-dropped-against-stephen-colbert-staffers-arrested-after-hours-house-office-building
