U.S. District Judge Richard Leon dismissed charges Thursday against two suspects accused of creating a bomb scare in the Capitol earlier this year. [IMGCAP(1)]

Michigan residents Ilelabayo Olaniyi and Reena Patel were arrested March 6 and charged with a false bomb threat, disorderly conduct, assault or threatened assault, and aiding and abetting.

The pair, who had been issued Senate Gallery passes from Sen. Carl Levin’s (D-Mich.) office, were stopped in the Crypt by Capitol Police officers after they began dancing and chanting. Both donned costumes and had strapped objects, including glass jars and newspaper, to their bodies with duct tape.

Last week’s dismissal came at the request of the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

“The defense provided information to us which made it pretty clear … that it was a case we didn’t feel we could prove beyond a reasonable doubt,” said Channing Phillips, a spokesman for the office.

Olaniyi and Patel are performance artists who provided evidence they had performed similar shows elsewhere.

Access Assured. The Government Printing Office and the National Archives and Records Administration last week announced a partnership aimed at maintaining access to more than 250,000 federal government titles now available online.

All GPO Access content — including online versions of the Congressional Record, Federal Register and Code of Federal Regulations — will remain permanently available at www.gpoaccess.gov.

Janis Johnston, president of the American Association of Law Libraries, heralded the decision as key to ensuring the accessibility and preservation of government information.

The documents will be under the legal custody of NARA, although GPO will retain physical custody and responsibility for their accessibility.

— Jennifer Yachnin and Bree Hocking