Rock icon and outspoken outdoorsman Ted Nugent brought a firearm into the Michigan Capitol during a committee hearing on June 25, despite a ban on weapons inside the building, state police have confirmed.
Nugent, who was testifying before the House Natural Resources and Tourism Committee in opposition to proposed hunting regulations, appeared to be visibly armed, sparking concern among lawmakers in attendance.
State Rep. Laurie Pohutsky (D-Livonia), who was present as part of a joint House Oversight subcommittee, posted about the incident on Instagram the following day. “Pretty early on in Mr. Nugent’s testimony, we recognized that he was carrying a gun,” she said. While members flagged House sergeants, no immediate action was taken. Pohutsky said she shared the event publicly to demand accountability and to highlight potential flaws in Capitol security procedures.
According to a Michigan State Police (MSP) statement, Nugent entered the building through the north entrance, where weapons detection systems flagged a possible weapon. However, the trooper stationed at the checkpoint failed to notice the alert until after Nugent had already passed through.
“The weapons detection system functioned correctly and alerted to a possible weapon; however, the trooper staffing the entry point did not see the alert until after Mr. Nugent left the screening area,” the statement read.
After his appearance before the committee, MSP personnel contacted Nugent and informed him of the Capitol’s weapons policy. “We are still evaluating how the weapons detection alert was missed and will be following up to ensure this does not happen again,” police spokesperson Lori Banner added.
The Michigan Capitol strictly prohibits both open carry and concealed firearms, with exceptions made only for on-duty law enforcement and legislators who possess valid concealed carry permits. Nugent, appearing as a private citizen, did not qualify under either exemption.
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