A staffer for Rep. Joe Morelle (D-NY), Michael Hopkins, was arrested Monday for allegedly bringing ammunition into the Cannon House Office Building, according to reports from FOX News. Hopkins, 38, was detained by U.S. Capitol Police after the discovery.
“At approximately 8:45 a.m., a House staffer entered the Cannon House Office Building and put his bag through screening. USCP officers noticed what appeared to be ammunition on the x-ray screen,” Morelle wrote on X.
“After a hand search of the bag, officers found four ammunition magazines and eleven rounds of ammunition. The staffer told the officers that he forgot the ammunition was in the bag. 38-year-old Michael Hopkins was arrested, and he is facing charges for unlawful possession of ammunition, including one charge for possession of a high-capacity magazine.”
Rep. Morelle serves as the top Democrat on the House Administration Committee, a role that includes oversight of the Capitol complex.
The incident raises questions about security protocols and the conduct of congressional staffers, though further details on the circumstances of the arrest have not been disclosed.
Capitol Police have not commented publicly on the investigation, and Rep. Morelle’s office has yet to issue a statement regarding the matter.