Norton Says She Will Testify if D.C. Resident is Retried for Arrest at Congressional Hearing

WASHINGTON, D.C.—The office of Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) today said Norton will testify if there is a retrial for the arrest of District of Columbia resident Adam Eidinger, who was arrested for unlawful entry at a House Oversight and Government Reform Committee markup of a bill to overturn a D.C. anti-discrimination law. Eidinger's first trial resulted in a hung jury. Norton, who was at the markup, said she witnessed Eidinger peacefully sitting in his seat while several other individuals stood up to protest the committee's action to overturn a D.C. law. However, after those individuals left the room, a committee staff member asked Eidinger to leave. Eidinger was arrested by U.S. Capitol Police after he refused to leave. Norton, a constitutional lawyer, said that the U.S. House of Representatives is "the People's House" and is required to conduct its business in public. She said she believes that there must be a justifiable reason to ask members of the public to leave a committee meeting.

"As part of our democratic system, members of the public are encouraged to witness the the legislative process, particularly when that business directly impacts them," Norton said. "Candidly, I do not believe the government will be able to find a jury of 12 D.C. residents willing to convict a fellow resident for peacefully sitting in a committee meeting about overturning a local D.C. law. Congressional business of course must not be interrupted, but the notion that congressional staff, even if authorized by a Member of Congress, can determine who can stay or go during a committee meeting is a very dangerous precedent, and may be unconstitutional as applied in this case."