GOP lawmaker fined $5K after skipping metal detectors

Rep. Dan Crenshaw (R-Texas) was issued a $5,000 fine this week after failing to go through metal detectors before entering the House chamber.

According to a press release published by the House Committee on Ethics on Thursday, Crenshaw refused to complete the security checkpoint on Monday and will have the fine deducted from his pay if he doesn’t appeal within 30 days.

“The Committee notes that the mandatory publication of a fine notification does not itself reflect any judgment on behalf of the Committee. Pursuant to Section 1(b)(1) of House Resolution 73, Representative Crenshaw may appeal the fine to the Committee. Upon a determination regarding any appeal or if no appeal is received within 30 days of the Member’s notification of the fine, the Committee will make a further public statement regarding this matter,” the release states.

The house resolution gives the sergeant at arms of the House of Representatives the authority to fine any lawmaker $5,000 upon their first infraction and $10,000 after that. It was enacted following the events of Jan. 6 in which supporters of then-President Trump stormed the Capitol.

Crenshaw is among several other lawmakers who have sought to bypass the metal detectors this year. In August, Rep. Bill Huizenga (R-Mich.) became the sixth lawmaker to be fined.

“This is the sad state of Speaker Pelosi’s House and it continues to create mistrust between members of Congress,” Huizenga spokesman Brian Patrick said of the security screening at the time, referring to Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s (D-Calif.) January announcement of hefty fines.

Crenshaw has also previously condemned the use of the metal detector and fines.

“When you’re a liberal there’s a propensity for action, even if that action is not effective. There’s a propensity for virtue-signaling even when that signaling is not effective,” he said, according to Fox News.