Democrat Lawmaker Gets In Face Of Capitol Police Over Colleague’s Delayed Swearing In

Congressional Democrats participated in a protest inside the U.S. Capitol on Tuesday night, during which Democratic California Rep. Nanette Barragán was recorded hounding a Capitol Police officer on duty.

The scene came during a demonstration objecting to the now 22-day delay in the swearing-in of Democratic Arizona Rep.-elect Adelita Grijalva, who was elected in a special election to replace her late father on Sept. 23. The standoff over the delayed seating has been a flashpoint of tension during the government shutdown, now in its 15th day.

In a video that has been circulating on social media, Barragán and Democratic Washington Rep. Pramila Jayapal appear amid a larger group assembled outside of the Speaker’s office who can be heard repeatedly chanting “Swear her in!” Barragán points her finger near the face of a uniformed male Capitol Police officer who in return holds up a hand as the lawmaker seems to accost him, the video shows.

Speaker of the House Mike Johnson has maintained that he will bring the House back and swear in Grijalva when the government reopens, but Democrats are claiming that Johnson is delaying the congresswoman-elect in an effort to block a discharge petition to compel the release of files related to deceased pedophile sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein.

“Last night, they played some games. They stormed my office,” Johnson said on Wednesday. “They berated a Capitol Police Officer—screamed at him. He was just merely standing his post.”