Capitol Installs Actual Legislative Razor Wire After Schumer Promise

WASHINGTON — The Architect of the Capitol began installing coils of actual razor wire around committee-room corridors Wednesday after Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer vowed to “entangle” President Donald Trump in “legislative razor wire” if he defies the law or the public.

Procurement officer Velda Quill-Hedge, 54, said the purchase order listed the product as Grade L-2026, “suitable for markups, subpoenas, and overnight holds.” A footnote clarified that Schumer’s remark was metaphorical and that the wire on the loading dock was not.

“Legislative razor wire is just like the regular kind, except the invoice goes through the Rules Committee,” Quill-Hedge said, inspecting a coil stamped “FOR OVERSIGHT USE ONLY.” She added that staff had rejected an earlier bid for “bipartisan barbed wire” after discovering it left soft spots every other twist.

Schumer, who will become Senate majority leader when Democrats take control in January, previewed the party’s plans after Tuesday’s midterm sweep by saying Democrats would launch investigations, take Trump to court, and entangle him in legislative razor wire whenever he defies the will of the American people or the law. Capitol Police later asked whether the new coils counted as a metaphor for badge purposes. Quill-Hedge said the metaphor had already been cut to length.

House Democrats requested a shorter gauge for hallway use so members could still reach the cafeteria. Republicans asked whether the wire came with a minority report. Quill-Hedge handed both caucuses the same pamphlet, titled “How to Walk Around It,” which consisted of a single blank page.

At publishing time, a White House aide was measuring the nearest coil with a tape measure and asking Quill-Hedge whether legislative razor wire was something you could climb over “if you really needed to get to a press conference.”