The Capitol Police are investigating an incident involving allegations that Rep. Russ Fulcher (R-ID) had assaulted a female officer as he passed through metal detectors outside of the House chamber last month, HuffPost reported late Wednesday.
A HuffPost reporter tweeted that Capitol Police had interviewed him on Wednesday about an incident he said he witnessed involving the Idaho lawmaker’s “manhandling” an officer stationed near the recently-installed metal detectors outside of the House floor on Jan. 12.
The reporter, Matt Fuller, said that he had observed Fulcher roughly push his way past a female officer who was operating the metal detectors shortly after they were set up on Jan. 12.
The reporter tweeted his observations after the incident, describing Fulcher as both “aggressive” and “assertive,” while suggesting that the officer on the receiving end of Fulcher’s rough handling “almost seemed on the verge of tears after.”
Fuller did not file a police report, he told the Idaho Statesman.
In a statement to the Idaho Statesman on Wednesday evening, Fulcher said his office isn’t aware of an investigation.
“Should there be further inquiries, we look forward to formally setting the record straight on these fabricated media accusations,” Fulcher said in the statement. “However, please keep in mind in this majority driven hostile political environment, neither truth nor fairness is the objective.”
