D.C. Attorney General Reports Photo of Reps. Trey Gowdy, Ken Buck to Police for 'Further Investigation

The Metropolitan Police Department in Washington, D.C., is reportedly investigating a photo of Reps. Trey Gowdy (R-S.C.) and Ken Buck (R-Colo.) holding an AR-15 rifle in a House office building.

.@TGowdySC stopped by today and we got a photo with my AR-15 #2A #SecondAmendment @TPPatriots @TeaPartyExpress pic.twitter.com/FhnAlyqTeW

— Congressman Ken Buck (@RepKenBuck) April 16, 2015

A spokesman with the D.C. attorney general’s office told The Hill that being in possession of the gun on Capitol Hill could be a violation of local gun laws.

The issue has since been “referred to the Metropolitan Police Department for further investigation,” according to the spokesman.

"It is illegal to possess an AR-15 in the District," he later added.

However, Buck revealed that the AR-15 is “inoperable” and had the gun approved by U.S. Capitol Police before he brought it into his office.

More from The Hill:

“I have a very patriotic AR-15 hanging in my office. It hangs directly above my Second Amendment flag,” Buck said.

“While safety protocols call for all guns to be treated as if they are loaded, this one isn't. Further, a close inspection of the only public photo of the rifle will show that the bolt carrier assembly is not in the rifle; it is in fact in Colorado.”

“It is a beautiful, patriotic paper weight,” he added.

Former NBC host David Gregory also got tangled up in the District’s restrictive gun laws when he previously took a 30-round magazine on the air for “Meet the Press.” The incident was investigated by authorities, but no charges were filed.

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