Approximately 5000 ticketholders were unable to get to their sets for the swearing-in on Tuesday, and Senate Sergeant at Arms Terrance Gainer has an explanation–winter coats.

Part of the problem, Gainer said, was that people wearing bulky winter clothing took up more space than officials had expected. 

Because whoever was in charge expected everyone to wear tee shirts in 22 degree weather?

Apparently we just could not get them all screened in time, and so we were a bit overwhelmed by the numbers

said Gainer, the former chief of the Capitol Police and former Deputy Chief of the Washington DC Police. He told the washington Post that 4000-5000 people were 

discombobulated

by the delays which were exacerbated when a generator broke, requiring security officials to hand-search many ticket holders without a metal detector. Okay the broken generator sorta makes sense, but blaming coats and gloves….c’mon.