Less than three years before Republican lawmakers today threw temper tantrums about metal detectors in the halls of Congress, they passed GOP legislation supporting more metal detectors in schools.

In 2018, the Republican-controlled House tried to head off strict gun control legislation by instead passing Florida GOP Rep. John Rutherford’s bill authorizing new resources for “evidence-based strategies and programs to prevent violence, which may include the use of appropriate technologies, including the placement and use of metal detectors.”

Among those voting for the metal detector legislation were Republican Reps. Steve Scalise, Steve Stivers, Larry Buchshon, Louie Gohmert, Rodney Davis, Markwayne Mullin and Steve Womack.

NBC News reported that Scalise, Stivers, Bucshon and Gohmert were among the “Republican lawmakers (who) complained about — or outright bypassed — the metal detectors to enter the House floor” that were installed after the chamber was attacked in last week’s violent insurrection. Fox News reported that Davis “exchanged harsh words with Capitol Police” about the new security measures and called them “political correctness run amok.” And CNN reported that Mullin and Womack “erupted at Capitol Police as they were forced to go through” the metal detectors.

The Huffington Post reported that Stivers tonight “told the cops at the door he believes the magnetometers are unconstitutional.”

Three years ago, Stivers boasted to constituents that he supported “improving school safety by increasing funding for schools to have metal detectors.”

Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons


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