Staffers from “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert” were arrested and charged by U.S. Capitol Police (USCP) after they were found unescorted in a U.S. House of Representatives building after hours on the evening of June 16, CBS has confirmed.
Staffers were conducting interviews on Wednesday and Thursday for a comedy segment with Triumph the Insult Comic Dog, a CBS spokesperson told The Epoch Times in an email. The interviews were allegedly pre-arranged with congressional aides.
“After leaving the members’ offices on their last interview of the day, the production team stayed to film stand-ups and other final comedy elements in the halls when they were detained by Capitol Police,” the spokesperson said.
Triumph is a puppet operated by Robert Smigel, who was reportedly with the group.
The Twitter account for Triumph was posting pictures from inside the Capitol on June 16.
The USCP received a call at around 8:30 p.m. on Thursday night about a disturbance in the Longworth House Office Building, the law enforcement agency said in a statement.
The Longworth House Office Building is an office building used by members of Congress.
“Responding officers observed seven individuals, unescorted and without Congressional ID, in a sixth-floor hallway. The building was closed to visitors, and these individuals were determined to be a part of a group that had been directed by the USCP to leave the building earlier in the day,” the USCP said.
People in the group were charged with unlawful entry, according to the Capitol Police.
The agency did not identify any of the people who were charged.
“This is an active criminal investigation, and may result in additional criminal charges after consultation with the U.S. Attorney,” the agency said.
