Jan. 6 Congressional Gold Medal recipients snub GOP officials: 'It's self-explanatory'

Democratic and Republican lawmakers assembled on Tuesday to award four Congressional Gold Medals to law enforcement officials who were present during the Jan. 6 Capitol riot, making good on legislation passed more than a year ago to honor representatives of the Capitol Police and D.C. Metropolitan Police with Congress' highest form of appreciation.

"Staring down deadly violence and despicable bigotry, our law enforcement officers bravely stood in the breach, ensuring that democracy survived on that dark day," outgoing House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said during the ceremony. She also described Jan. 6 as "a day of horror and heartbreak" as well as "a moment of extraordinary heroism."

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Rafi Schwartz, The Week US

Rafi Schwartz has worked as a politics writer at The Week since 2022, where he covers elections, Congress and the White House. He was previously a contributing writer with Mic focusing largely on politics, a senior writer with Splinter News, a staff writer for Fusion's news lab, and the managing editor of Heeb Magazine, a Jewish life and culture publication. Rafi's work has appeared in Rolling Stone, GOOD and The Forward, among others.