Congressional Aide Arrested at US Capitol for Carrying Ammunition

December 2, 2024 TruthUSA

The staff member informed the officers that he had overlooked the ammunition in the bag,’ the Capitol Police stated.

On December 2, Capitol Police officers detained a staff member for Rep. Joe Morelle (D-N.Y.) at the U.S. Capitol.

While screening bags at a checkpoint, officers noticed what seemed to be ammunition on the X-ray monitor, according to the Capitol Police.

“Following a manual search of the bag, officers discovered four ammunition magazines and eleven rounds of ammunition. The staff member informed the officers that he had forgotten the ammunition was in the bag,” reported the agency responsible for the safety of Congress members and the congressional buildings.

The arrested staff member, Michael Hopkins, 38, is facing charges of unlawfully possessing ammunition, including the possession of a high-capacity magazine, as per Capitol Police.

Visitors to the Capitol are prohibited from bringing firearms, ammunition, replica firearms, and electric stun guns, among several other items. They must go through magnetometers before entering the complex.

At the time of publication, Hopkins had not responded to a request for comment.

A spokesperson from Morelle’s office informed media that the congressman was made aware of the arrest.

“This morning, we were notified that a member of our staff had been arrested by Capitol Police. We are in the process of collecting more details surrounding the circumstances of the arrest,” the spokesperson stated.

“Our office is entirely committed to cooperating with the investigation. As the Ranking Member of the Committee on House Administration, Congressman Morelle is dedicated to ensuring a secure and safe environment for everyone.”

Morelle, 67, has represented New York’s 25th Congressional District since 2018. The district has a population of around 766,000 and is located on the northern border of New York, partly bordered by Lake Ontario. Morelle was reelected in November with 60 percent of the vote.

Hopkins began his tenure with Morelle in October, as noted on his LinkedIn profile. He graduated from Georgetown University and the Cardozo School of Law. His previous experience includes serving as an adviser for Charlie Crist’s campaign for governor in Florida, which Crist lost to Gov. Ron DeSantis.

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