Fox News has learned that House W Senate offices They are growing frustrated about who might be allowed to attend President-elect Trump's inauguration inside the Capitol Rotunda on Monday.
Fox was told that members' offices were asked to “resubmit” paperwork on whether a lawmaker wanted to attend and whether the lawmaker's spouse wanted to attend. However, there are no “extra benefits”. Fox was told that the couple's attendance may be “patchy.”
One lawmaker said members were trying to convince governors or other state officials to enter the Capitol Rotunda. But it was not clear whether officials could meet these requests.
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There is an attempt to get a small group of people into the Capitol Rotunda who were scheduled to sit in the front but who were not members of the House or Senate. One official declined to identify those with “special status” to Fox.
This likely means that very few dignitaries or others are allowed inside Opening. One pro-Trump lawmaker was “happy” to move inside so the lawmaker wouldn't have to sit outside in the cold “for an hour and a half.” The lawmaker also noted that House members likely would have had a very uncomfortable experience if the inauguration had been outside. This is because of the way the wind blows across the platform and where the members of the House of Representatives were scheduled to sit on the Western Front.
Workers build a stage in the U.S. Capitol Rotunda in Washington, D.C., Friday, for the 60th presidential inauguration, which was moved indoors due to cold temperatures expected Monday. (AP Photo/Maury Gash)
One lawmaker told Fox that there are 700 people traveling to Washington to attend the inauguration, and now none of them will sit anywhere. But the lawmaker “has not heard a single complaint” from people traveling to the inauguration in person who now can't.
President Reagan Opened in 1985, it was moved indoors due to the extreme cold and 7-degree temperature, and held a crowd of 1,000 people in the Capitol rotunda. Fox colleague Aisha Hosny reported that the total number allowed inside the Capitol Rotunda for this inauguration will likely be 600. Additionally, Fox was told that “600 are pushing that” due to fire concerns. One source says the number could be closer to 500 before all is said and done.
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Fox was told there are concrete plans for inaugurations in 2017 and 2021 to move the ceremonies indoors. Officials even trained for these scenarios. Additionally, Fox was told that there was serious discussion about moving the 2017 inauguration indoors due to rain and concerns about umbrellas.
While weather is the main reason for moving the inauguration indoors, multiple sources close to planning the event have expressed concerns about security.
“I got my spider senses back,” said one lawmaker, who requested anonymity and is immersed in planning the event. But when Fox pressed multiple lawmakers and other sources, no one could pinpoint a specific threat.
A fence surrounds the US Capitol building in Washington, DC, on Friday, as preparations are made for President-elect Trump's inauguration on Monday. (Fox News Digital)
However, more than one lawmaker contacted by Fox indicated that there were several external events President-elect Before the assassination attempt in July, and all other events since then were indoors.
Fox was told that security officials would set up what was described as a “geofence” around the Capitol to interfere with and jam communications and/or drones. At one point, there was talk of shutting down all cellular communications during the time period that President-elect Trump was on stage.
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However, snowfall is expected to reach about four inches In Washington Sunday night began to change thinking about this year's inauguration. There is real concern about thousands of people standing on the National Mall in the cold, fresh snow for hours. There was concern about the ability of emergency personnel to reach those who may have medical emergencies while on the National Mall due to inclement weather. Another issue is how snow that melted today could freeze again, creating dramatically slick surfaces around the Capitol.
First Lady Nancy Reagan, center, looks on as President Reagan takes the oath of office during ceremonies in the rotunda under the Capitol Dome in Washington, D.C., January 21, 1985. (AP Photo/Ron Edmonds, File)
Then there's another factor: snowball fights.
One prominent source told Fox that there was actual discussion about overlapping snowball fights with the event if Washington got a new layer of snow. One source said planners feared it would “get out of control” and could contribute to casualties.
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At home or abroad, this may be the snowiest inauguration since the swearing-in day was postponed to Jan. 20, 1937. The previous record for snowfall on Inauguration Day came in 1961, during President John F. Kennedy's swearing-in. Washington received seven-tenths of an inch of snow that day.
Given the weather, it might have been appropriate for poet Robert Frost to speak at JFK's inauguration.
