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CNN Live Event/Special

Ney Press Conference

Aired October 30, 2003 - 14:08   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Right now, we want to go back to Congressman Bob Ney, once again speaking to reporters.
(JOINED IN PROGRESS)

REP. BOB NEY (R), OHIO: ... knapsack with what was -- looked to be the image of a revolver in that knapsack. He then quickly grabbed it. There was a long line of people. And bolted, as fast as he could, away.

Now again this could be a real weapon, it could not be a real weapon. We don't want to, obviously, take the chance of considering it a toy weapon. So you take all precautions.

The thing I want to stress is Capitol Police, the sergeant of arms, Bill Livingood, Chief Gainor, and the Capitol Police force have taken, I think, every correct precaution. The building is being evacuated orderly, office by office search. and precautions have been taken in the other buildings. Both (UNINTELLIGIBLE) the other buildings are not being evacuated.

QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE) believed to be a white male?

NEY: That's what -- as we understand it.

QUESTION: You just have one individual?

NEY: One individual as we understand it. Again, I don't want to speculate. There could be other people involved. But as we understand it, as of now. This is an orderly procedure inside. And the Capitol Police are taking every step for the safety and security of the public and the...

QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE)

NEY: No, we have no idea. It would be hard to speculate on that.

QUESTION: Is there any plans to curtail (OFF-MIKE)?

NEY: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) no. I mean, both leaders, the speaker, and the minority -- Pelosi, are obviously in the loop on this. As far as I understand it, at this point in time, there's no reason to do that.

QUESTION: What's being done in the other buildings?

NEY: Just precautions.

QUESTION: I'm sorry, did you say you have no idea where this person is?

NEY: At this point in time I don't.

QUESTION: Do you believe him to be in the Cannon building...

(CROSSTALK)

NEY: That would be pure speculation on my part. Police are take every precaution.

QUESTION: How far did the officer get what she was chasing him?

NEY: I'm not aware of that.

QUESTION: How many officers were there when he got away?

NEY: Standard amount of officers that we have that we need per door.

(CROSSTALK)

(AUDIO GAP)

QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE) what does leadership do? What is told to leadership? Are they secured in a special way?

NEY: No. Everything, I think, is under control. The evacuation's very orderly. People are -- there's no reason to panic. There's no special procedures I know, you know, the Capitol is voting as we speak.

QUESTION: Congressman, why is there in reason to panic, if the (OFF-MIKE) why not be greatly concerned about that?

NEY: Well, let me restate. I mean we would not want to have people running out of a six-block area into the streets. That's panic. As far as what I'm saying -- why I say there's no reason to panic we can't start to speculate that we should evacuate the U.S. Capitol. The corridors were sealed off. And there's no reason to believe he would be in the Capitol. So when I say panic, we're not going to panic in the Capitol proper to evacuate it.

Thank you.

PHILLIPS: Congressman Bob Ney there, Republican of Ohio, addressing reporters.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com






Aired October 30, 2003 - 14:08   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Right now, we want to go back to Congressman Bob Ney, once again speaking to reporters.
(JOINED IN PROGRESS)

REP. BOB NEY (R), OHIO: ... knapsack with what was -- looked to be the image of a revolver in that knapsack. He then quickly grabbed it. There was a long line of people. And bolted, as fast as he could, away.

Now again this could be a real weapon, it could not be a real weapon. We don't want to, obviously, take the chance of considering it a toy weapon. So you take all precautions.

The thing I want to stress is Capitol Police, the sergeant of arms, Bill Livingood, Chief Gainor, and the Capitol Police force have taken, I think, every correct precaution. The building is being evacuated orderly, office by office search. and precautions have been taken in the other buildings. Both (UNINTELLIGIBLE) the other buildings are not being evacuated.

QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE) believed to be a white male?

NEY: That's what -- as we understand it.

QUESTION: You just have one individual?

NEY: One individual as we understand it. Again, I don't want to speculate. There could be other people involved. But as we understand it, as of now. This is an orderly procedure inside. And the Capitol Police are taking every step for the safety and security of the public and the...

QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE)

NEY: No, we have no idea. It would be hard to speculate on that.

QUESTION: Is there any plans to curtail (OFF-MIKE)?

NEY: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) no. I mean, both leaders, the speaker, and the minority -- Pelosi, are obviously in the loop on this. As far as I understand it, at this point in time, there's no reason to do that.

QUESTION: What's being done in the other buildings?

NEY: Just precautions.

QUESTION: I'm sorry, did you say you have no idea where this person is?

NEY: At this point in time I don't.

QUESTION: Do you believe him to be in the Cannon building...

(CROSSTALK)

NEY: That would be pure speculation on my part. Police are take every precaution.

QUESTION: How far did the officer get what she was chasing him?

NEY: I'm not aware of that.

QUESTION: How many officers were there when he got away?

NEY: Standard amount of officers that we have that we need per door.

(CROSSTALK)

(AUDIO GAP)

QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE) what does leadership do? What is told to leadership? Are they secured in a special way?

NEY: No. Everything, I think, is under control. The evacuation's very orderly. People are -- there's no reason to panic. There's no special procedures I know, you know, the Capitol is voting as we speak.

QUESTION: Congressman, why is there in reason to panic, if the (OFF-MIKE) why not be greatly concerned about that?

NEY: Well, let me restate. I mean we would not want to have people running out of a six-block area into the streets. That's panic. As far as what I'm saying -- why I say there's no reason to panic we can't start to speculate that we should evacuate the U.S. Capitol. The corridors were sealed off. And there's no reason to believe he would be in the Capitol. So when I say panic, we're not going to panic in the Capitol proper to evacuate it.

Thank you.

PHILLIPS: Congressman Bob Ney there, Republican of Ohio, addressing reporters.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com