Serious Problems Found in Recruits' Past

Capitol Police have declined to give details about what disqualified the recruits, but according to police and congressional sources, some had committed serious offenses. One recruit, for example, was arrested as a juvenile for armed robbery, according to the sources, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the sensitive nature of the issue. The record in the case is sealed, and the outcome was unknown, the sources said.

Three others admitted criminal activities for which they had not been arrested, including setting fire to construction equipment and selling marijuana, the sources said. The sources did not provide names or further details.

Labor attorney John Berry, who is filing appeals for seven of the dismissed recruits, said that under Capitol Police regulations, the chief is supposed to review candidates' applications and disclosures before they are offered jobs. It "begs the question of whether or not he did his job," he said.

Berry said some of his clients had committed minor infractions.

One of the recruits, for example, was part of a group of 15 college students who stole a street sign, Berry said. The student was charged with a misdemeanor that was later expunged from his record, he said, adding that the recruit had acknowledged the incident before being hired.

The same recruit told Capitol Police officials that as a 13-year-old, he had been with a cousin who was getting high by inhaling the gas in a whipped-cream can. The young man tried to mimic his cousin, "but was too clumsy to do it," Berry said, adding that the recruit had never used illegal drugs. The incident was listed in the recruit's dismissal letter.

"If every person were held accountable for their actions as 13-year-olds and disallowed from job opportunities because of those actions, there would be a paucity of employment in the world," Berry told The Washington Post in an e-mail.

Some recruits were dismissed for non-criminal issues. They included failing a psychological evaluation and providing false or misleading information during the hiring process, officials said.

Gainer said Capitol Police applicants' names are typically run through several databases to check for criminal records. In addition, officials do background checks, examining the applicants' school and work records and interviewing neighbors, he said.