GOP rep says he'll 'fight' the $5,000 fine he got for evading House metal detectors

• GOP Rep. Andrew Clyde said he'll "fight" a $5,000 fine he received for bypassing metal detectors.
• "I'm going to take it to court because this is unconstitutional," he said in a Fox News interview.
• The metal detectors are part of a safety measure in response to the Capitol riot on January 6.

Newly elected Rep. Andrew Clyde said in a Fox News interview that he plans to "fight" the $5,000 fine for bypassing the metal detectors outside the House chamber in court.

The metal detectors are part of a safety measure in response to the Capitol riot on January 6. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi introduced the measure, saying in January that members of Congress would have to pay $5,000 fines if they evade the metal detectors. If there's a second attempt at bypassing the metal detectors, the fine rises to $10,000.

"Those metal detectors are there to detain us, and that's a violation" of the Constitution, Clyde said in an interview Sunday on "The Ingraham Angle."

"I'm going to fight it," he added, when asked whether he plans to pay the fine. "I'm going to appeal it, and then I'm going to take it to court because this is unconstitutional."

Clyde and Rep. Louie Gohmert both declined to pass through the metal detectors and have since been given fines of $5,000 each.

When asked if he'll bypass the metal detectors again, Clyde said he believes he's already done it "at least a couple of times."

"I've had a couple of times since then, I think, so I'm probably up to $25,000 now," he said.

The Capitol riot left at least five people, including one police officer, dead. Members of the Proud Boys, which is classified as a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center, were reportedly present.

Organizers were emboldened by President Donald Trump's urges to protest the results of the 2020 election with him, despite Democrat Joe Biden's election victory. While members of Congress were meeting inside the Capitol building day to certify the results, supporters organized an attempted coup and stormed the Capitol building.

Now, Republicans on the House Administration Committee are saying Pelosi also skirted the new rules and should pay the fine as well. The lawmakers asked Timothy Blodgett, acting US Sergeant-at-Arms, in a letter to impose fines on Pelosi.

Blodgett, said in a response that Capitol Police have not cited Pelosi for allegedly violating the protocol, according to a letter sent to Insider from Pelosi's office.

"Only the [United States Capitol Police] can determine whether an individual has failed to complete security screening as only the USCP has sufficient training to determine compliance with USCP screening procedures," Blodgett wrote in response to the letter. "I have directed that the USCP produce and provide unusual incident reports on any individual who fails to complete security screening without exception. I have not received any unusual incident report from the USCP concerning the Speaker of the House."

Pelosi's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment asking about Clyde's remarks.