Stephen Colbert’s Late Show production team arrested in Capitol Hill office building

Actor and comedian Robert Smigel performs as Triumph the Insult Comic Dog in the hallways outside the January 6th House select committee hearing (Getty Images)

US Capitol Police said on Friday that officers arrested a group of unauthorised people in a congressional office building on Thursday night and charged them with unlawful entry.

The people identified themselves as being affiliated with CBS’ Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Fox News first reported and The Associated Press confirmed.

A senior House source provided the network with a list of nine people who were stopped by officers. The list includes several producers from the show, and Robert Smigel, the voice behind Triumph the Insult Comic Dog.

The incident occurred on Thursday night following the third public hearing by the House panel investigating the 6 January 2021 Capitol riot.

Fox News reports that the group was arrested in the Longworth House Office Building and had been at the Cannon House Office Building earlier in the day to get interviews about the committee hearing.

They were asked to move on from the Cannon building because they did not have the proper press credentials.

Capitol Police said they received a call about a disturbance in the Longworth House Office Building around 8.30pm.

“Responding officers observed seven individuals, unescorted and without Congressional ID, in a sixth-floor hallway,” the agency said in a statement. “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.”

In a statement to The Hollywood Reporter, CBS said the production team was at the Capitol Wednesday and Thursday to record a comedy segment featuring Triumph.

“Their interviews at the Capitol were authorised and pre-arranged through Congressional aides of the members interviewed,” the network said.

“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.”

Fox News reports they were arrested near Rep Lauren Boebert’s office and had also taken pictures and video near the office of House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy.

The USCP statement said the case remains “an active criminal investigation, and may result in additional criminal charges after consultation with the US Attorney.”

Capitol Police, departing from standard practice, refused to provide the names of the people who were arrested.

With reporting from The Associated Press