Federal prosecutors decline to charge Colbert crew, Triumph the Insult Comic Dog over Capitol bit

Federal prosecutors announced Monday they have dropped charges against Triumph the Insult Comic Dog's puppet master, Robert Smigel, and others associated with The Late Show with Stephen Colbert who were arrested in the U.S. Capitol complex on June 16. Smigel and the Late Show producers and crew were charged with misdemeanor unlawful entry for being in a Capitol office building without an escort after the third House Jan. 6 committee hearing.

Colbert joked on his show that they were arrested for "first-degree puppetry," or "high jinks with intent to goof."

The U.S. attorney's office in Washington, D.C., would have been "required to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that these invited guests were guilty of the crime of unlawful entry because their escort chose to leave them unattended," said Bill Miller, a spokesperson for the prosecutor's office. "We do not believe it is probable that the office would be able to obtain and sustain convictions on these charges." U.S. Capitol police said they would respect the U.S. attorney's decision.

The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

Join more than 350,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of The Week’s most interesting, enlightening and entertaining stories - plus daily puzzles.

Join more than 350,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of The Week’s most interesting, enlightening and entertaining stories - plus daily puzzles.

Sign up