Fox News Sunday – Sunday, July 17th
In today’s episode of ‘Fox News Sunday’, Shannon bream brings us an exclusive report from the White House as President Biden returns home from his trip to Saudi Arabia.
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“Colbert 9” was acquitted of “illegal entry” charges Monday after employees of “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” were caught recording comedy sketches inside an in-house office building after of a few hours without permission in June.
A statement from the U.S. Attorney’s Office said, “After a thorough review of all the evidence and the relevant legal authority, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia has determined that it cannot advance with the charges of misdemeanor of illegal entry against the nine individuals who were arrested in the Longworth office building on June 16, 2022. The individuals, who entered the building on two occasions Congress staff were invited to enter the building in each case and were never asked to leave by staff who invited them. U.S. Capitol police who were supposed to have an escort.The Office should prove beyond a reasonable doubt that these guests were guilty of the crime of illegality.entry because their escort chose to leave them unattended s. We do not believe that it is likely that the Office will be able to obtain and maintain convictions for these charges. Defendants will no longer have to appear for a scheduled hearing in the District of Columbia High Court on July 20, 2022. “
The charges against Stephen Colbert’s staff were dropped Monday. (CBS)
U.S. Capitol (USCP) police issued a statement saying it “respects the decision this office has made” and referred any questions about the decision to the U.S. District Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.
Fox News is told that Capitol police are upset by the decision to step down, especially because the Colbert 9s were told on several occasions that they were not supposed to be there. Sources close to the Capitol police also tell Fox that this undermines law enforcement as they try to secure the Capitol complex after the riots.
US CHAPTER POLICE ARREST STEPHEN COLBERT’S STAFF IN HOUSE OFFICE BUILDING, ACCUSED OF ILLEGAL ENTRY
In June, a group of nine staff members of CBS’s “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” were arrested after illegally entering a building in the U.S. House of Representatives. Among those arrested were Robert Smigel, the puppeteer of “Triumph the Insult Comic Dog,” a character on Colbert’s show, along with writer Josh Comers, associate producer Allison Martinez, and senior producer Jake Plunkett.
Fox News was told that Colbert 9 tried to get permission to cover the Jan. 6 committee hearings, but House / Senate radio television galleries denied them because they were considered entertainment and not news.
Actor and comedian Robert Smigel plays the role of Triumph the Insult Comic Dog in the hallways outside the House Selective Committee to investigate the hearing of the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol in the office building of Cannon House on June 16, 2022 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla / Getty Images)
According to police, staff members were charged with illegal entry after being found acting “disruptive, loud” and “theatrical” near Deputy Lauren Boebert’s office, R-Colo., In the l Longworth House office building while recording comedy sketches. for the Late Show around 8:30 p.m., June 16th.
Earlier in the day, the group had conducted interviews with members of the Jan. 6 select committee, representatives Adam Schiff, D-Calif., And Stephanie Murphy, D-Fla, as well as Rep. Jake Auchincloss, D-Mass.
Eventually, they were escorted out of the Cannon House office building, where the Jan. 6 committee was conducting their hearing, because they did not have the proper press credentials. Sources tell Fox News that an Auchincloss aide let them into the House’s office buildings around 4 p.m., and they were left unattended for several hours.
TWITTER REACTS TO THE DETENTION OF COLBERT STAFF IN THE CHAPTER: ‘INSURRECTION’
Set of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert (Photo by Scott Kowalchyk / CBS via Getty Images)
Colbert himself downplayed the arrests on his program the following Monday as a “very professional” interaction between his staff and “cautious” Capitol police officers and jokingly called the incident a “first-rate puppet.” degree “.
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Republican lawmakers also asked Monday for information on how Colbert’s crew was able to gain access to the interior of the building despite not having press credentials. Despite the arrests, a CBS spokesman at the time told Fox News that “interviews at the Capitol were previously authorized and arranged through congressional aides of the members interviewed.”
Paul Best, Alexa Moutevelis, Lawrence Richard and Adam Sabes of Fox News contributed to this report.
Lindsay Kornick is an associate editor at Fox News Digital. Story tips can be sent to lindsay.kornick@fox.com and on Twitter: @lmkornick.