Rep. Troy Nehls of Texas is taking a stand by suing the federal government for a whopping $2.5 million. He claims he faced unlawful harassment following the January 6th protests, and he’s not willing to take it sitting down.
According to the lawsuit filed in Texas federal court, a Capitol Police officer entered Nehls’ office without any consent during a November 2021 recess. This wasn’t just a casual stroll—legislative materials were photographed, including a whiteboard filled with notes on proposed firearm legislation, which sparked an unwarranted follow-up investigation by plainclothes officers.
The lawsuit clearly states this intrusion was carried out devoid of a warrant and without any exigent circumstances, outright violating the Fourth Amendment and the Speech and Debate Clause of the U.S. Constitution. It also accuses the officer of concocting a fabricated excuse, claiming Nehls’ door was “wide open” and pointing to a suspicious yellow alert, even when no official bomb alert had been issued.
According to the Capitol Police’s account of the events, an officer stumbled upon Nehls’s office during a routine security sweep because of an ajar door. Upon entering, he reportedly decided to jot down notes off the whiteboard, finding them concerning. However, building mechanics later confirmed that the door couldn’t have stayed open due to automatic closing systems.
Nehls’ attorneys assert the real reason behind this search was retaliation—retaliation for Nehls’ public criticism of the Capitol Police’s actions during and after January 6, 2021. Further, the suit argues that the data collected, including the photograph of the whiteboard, was improperly stored in a Capitol Police database, criminalizing legislative activity unlawfully.
BREAKING: Rep. Troy Nehls Calls Out The J6 Committee For Failing To Hold Capitol Police Accountable For The Infamous Riots
Nehls seeks a $2.5 million windfall in damages, emphasizing that his rights were violated, establishing a dangerous precedent of executive overreach into congressional affairs. The lawsuit brands the Capitol Police’s actions as “unconstitutional,” “retaliatory,” and a blatant “affront to the separation of powers.”
Handling his legal battle is lawyer Terrell Roberts, known for representing the family of Ashli Babbitt, a staunch Trump supporter who was tragically shot by Capitol Police officer Michael Byrd.
