Democrat Staffer Arrested for Trying to Bring Cache of Ammo Into House Office Building

Breaking news from Washington, D.C.: A Democrat staffer was arrested by Capitol Police Monday morning for trying to bring several magazines and rounds of ammunition into the Cannon House Office Building,

The staffer, Michael Hopkins, is the communications director for Rep. Joe Morelle, a Democrat representing New York’s 25th Congressional District and the current ranking member of the House Administration Committee.

Capitol Police had this to say of Hopkins’s arrest:

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. 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.”

A few more details have emerged in the hours since the arrest. According to one outlet :

• Capitol Police searched Hopkins’ bag after it went through an X-ray machine and found 11 rounds of ammunition and four magazines, the spokesperson said.
• Hopkins “told the officers that he forgot the ammunition was in the bag,” the spokesperson said.
• He faces charges for unlawful possession of ammunition, including one charge for possession of a high-capacity magazine.

Rep. Morelle’s chief of staff, Jo Stiles, released a brief statement on the matter:

“This morning, our office was informed that a member of our staff was arrested by Capitol Police. We are currently gathering more information regarding the circumstances of the arrest. Our office is fully committed to cooperating with the investigation.”

Ironically, the member for whom Michael Hopkins works is a very outspoken advocate for gun control. Rep. Morelle has co-sponsored at least eleven bills aimed at restricting access to guns and has spoken out in favor of red flag laws, which allow law enforcement or family to seek orders to remove firearms from individuals deemed to be a threat to themselves or others. 

This is from Morelle’s campaign website:

Our nation continues to be terrorized by the seemingly never-ending cycle of gun violence. Mass shootings affect our daily lives, instilling fear into our communities as we grocery shop, attend concerts, and simply go to school. Gun trafficking and violence at the hands of criminals with illegal weapons plague our streets and neighborhoods. That is why Joe has made passing and enacting common-sense gun reform laws that protect innocent Americans one of his top priorities.

Since being elected to Congress, Joe has authored and co-sponsored legislation that takes critical steps to ban assault weapons and high-capacity magazines, enact universal background checks on all gun sales, and keep illegal guns off our streets.

A recent tweet by Rep. Morelle confirms his commitment to limiting the protections of the Second Amendment.

This is a breaking story. Check back for updates.