Rep. Troy Nehls pushes back at Capitol Police after chief denies investigation of congressman

The back-and-forth began on Tuesday morning, when Nehls alleged that the Capitol Police Investigation Division illegally entered his office back in November and took photographs of sensitive documents.

"The @CapitolPolice Intelligence Division investigated my office illegally and one of my staffers caught them in the act," Nehls wrote, adding that on Nov. 20, 2021, Capitol Police officers entered his office in the Longworth House Office Building without his knowledge, and proceeded to take photos of "confidential legislative products protected by the Speech and Debate clause enshrined in the Constitution, Article 1 Section 6."

Two days later, while the House was in recess for Thanksgiving, three intelligence officers attempted to once again enter his office, he alleged.

"Upon discovering a member of my staff, special agents dressed like construction workers began to question him as to the contents of a photograph taken illegally two days earlier," said Nehls.

Nehls said that Capitol Police had not informed either himself or senior staff members of their investigation, but noted that "the reasons are clear," stating that the reasons may be because he is a "vocal critic of @SpeakerPelosi, the @January6thCmte, and @CapitolPolice leadership about their handling of January 6th, the death of Ashli Babbitt and the subsequent SHAM investigation."

In response to Nehls' allegations, the Capitol Police issued a statement later that day stating that Nehls' office door had been left open.

"The United States Capitol Police is sworn to protect Members of Congress. If a Member's office is left open and unsecured, without anyone inside the office, USCP officers are directed to document that and secure the office to ensure nobody can wander in and steal or do anything else nefarious," said US Capitol Police Chief Tom Manger.

"The weekend before Thanksgiving, one of our vigilant officers spotted the Congressman's door was wide open. That Monday, USCP personnel personally followed up with the Congressman's staff and determined no investigation or further action of any kind was needed. No case investigation was ever initiated or conducted into the Representative or his staff," he added.

In response to Manger's claims that no investigation had been initiated, Nehls wrote on Twitter: "That is a bold faced lie."