The offical Congressional Blackberry, Ellsion's credentials

I guess that's all you need. Credentials schmedentials...I got my Blackberry!

The Hill picks it up from here.

The House swearing-in ceremonies made for a big day, too, for Rep. Keith Ellison (D-Minn.), the first Muslim to serve in Congress. Ellison’s adventures started when, although he has arguably gotten more press than any other member of his class, the Capitol Police didn’t recognize him.

An unaccompanied Ellison emerged from the throng that was rushing into the Capitol shortly before noon Thursday, when the House convened to open the 110th Congress, but he was stopped before he even got to the door.

At the foot of the marble stairs on the south side of the Capitol, a police officer held up his hand and politely demanded to know who the hurried fellow was. Ellison calmly responded that he was a new member but that he didn’t have any credentials to prove it.

This impasse between the almost-congressman and the dutiful cop was over a split second later when Ellison produced his official congressional Blackberry, which was good enough for the officer.