Report: Democrat Staffer Arrested for Carrying Gun on Capitol Grounds as Senator Began All Night Speech

If Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ) hopes his all-night theatrics on Monday will be remembered, thanks to one of his staff members, they will be.

Booker’s staff member, Kevin A. Batts, was arrested Monday evening for carrying a pistol on Capitol grounds moments before Booker began an all-night speech on the Senate floor protesting President Donald Trump’s America First agenda, NOTUS reported.

A NOTUS reporter witnessed the staffer, Kevin A. Batts, being arrested Monday at 6:29 p.m. Eastern as Booker prepared to begin his speech around 7:00. “He was handcuffed and placed in the backseat of a [U.S. Capitol Police (USCP)] vehicle outside the Senate-side of the Capitol,” according to that report.

USCP confirmed the arrest Tuesday while Booker spoke on the Senate floor.

“Yesterday afternoon a Member of Congress led an IDed staff member around security screening at the Hart Senate Office Building,” USCP said in a statement. “Later that evening, outside the Senate Galleries, the IDed staff member — who is a retired law enforcement officer — told our officers he was armed.” (Read more from “Report: Democrat Staffer Arrested for Carrying Gun on Capitol Grounds as Senator Began All Night Speech” HERE)

Photo credit: Gage Skidmore via Flickr