For any other group, such acts would mean immediate arrest. This time, the Capitol police’s hands were tied because they were ordered to stand down by their Chief of Police who answers to Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA). To add insult to injury, public employees had to come in on their day off, at taxpayer’s expense, to clean up the mess the protesters left behind.

According to the news reports the rank and file police officers were ‘livid’ that they were ordered not to arrest anyone. Since the Capitol police answer to Speaker Pelosi, the question arises, did the Chief of Police give the ‘no arrest’ order or did it come from someone else? Whoever is responsible for the order needs to explain why the physical destruction of taxpayer property is acceptable.

The U.S. Capitol belongs to every American and the building, and those who represent us within it, deserve respect. Surely, the tens of millions of dollars the American people have invested in the security of their Capitol means there is videotape that will assist in the identification and arrest of the perpetrators. Speaker Pelosi should direct that investigation and prosecution go forward. If the U.S. Capitol has a new policy on such acts, does it apply to everyone - or just to those whose views the majority in Congress favors?

This entry was posted on Tuesday, January 30th, 2007 at 10:40 am and is filed under Politics .