A staffer for Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ) was arrested Monday after allegedly bringing a gun on Capitol grounds.
The incident occurred hours after Booker, 55, began a filibuster speech in the upper chamber against actions taken by President Donald Trump. Booker began the speech around 7:00 p.m. Monday and said he would speak “for as long as I am physically able to.”
“I rise tonight because I believe sincerely that our country is in crisis,” he said. His speech has continued over 19 hours and remains ongoing as of 3:30 p.m. Tuesday.
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“Yesterday afternoon a Member of Congress led an IDed staff member around security screening at the Hart Senate Office Building. Later that evening, outside the Senate Galleries, the IDed staff member — who is a retired law enforcement officer — told our officers he was armed,” a U.S. Capitol Police representative said in a statement Tuesday to the New York Post.
The staffer was identified by police as 59-year-old Kevin A. Batts, a New Jersey resident. Batts was arrested for allegedly “Carrying a Pistol Without a License.”
Firearms and dangerous weapons are among the list of items prohibited on U.S. Capitol grounds. Firearms are also prohibited in the Library of Congress Buildings, Senate Office Buildings, House Office Buildings and the House and Senate Galleries.
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“All weapons are prohibited from Capitol Grounds, even if you are a retired law enforcement officer or have a permit to carry in another state or the District of Columbia,” the police statement continued.
In a video posted on Facebook in 2022, Booker referred to Batts as one of his friends.
“Last week, I showed you the best of my friend Kevin Batts, but he does have one major flaw. On a recent shopping trip, I couldn’t pass up the chance to get some dad joke digs in,” Booker wrote in the caption.
A Twitter thread shows that Batts and Booker have known each other since at least 2014. Booker shared a photo of him and Batts in a car together.
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