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."
As the law enforcement officials and their families walked past the congressional leaders to accept their medals, many conspicuously refused to shake the hands of Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.).
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
"It's self-explanatory," explained the brother of officer Brian Sicknick, who died shortly after the insurrection attempt. "They came out right away and condemned what happened on Jan. 6. And then whatever hold that Trump has on them — they've backstepped, they've danced, they won't admit to wrongdoing."
The tension at the event was not limited to the stage. According to former police officer Michael Fanone, one of the attendees at the ceremony who had previously testified to Congress about his experience during the attack, members of the Metropolitan Police Department's Special Operations Division actively heckled him at the medal event. "They called me a piece of s--t," he told NBC News. "And mockingly called me a 'great f--king hero' while clapping."
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
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.
-
5 seriously spooky cartoons about HalloweenCartoons Artists take on the GOP boogeyman, a white sheet, and more
-
Political cartoons for October 25Cartoons Saturday’s political cartoons include hospital bill trauma, Independence Day, and more
-
Roasted squash and apple soup recipeThe Week Recommends Autumnal soup is full of warming and hearty flavours
-
NY attorney general asks public for ICE raid footageSpeed Read Rep. Dan Goldman claims ICE wrongly detained four US citizens in the Canal Street raid and held them for a whole day without charges
-
Trump’s huge ballroom to replace razed East WingSpeed Read The White House’s east wing is being torn down amid ballroom construction
-
Trump expands boat strikes to Pacific, killing 5 moreSpeed Read The US military destroyed two more alleged drug smuggling boats in international waters
-
Trump demands millions from his administrationSpeed Read The president has requested $230 million in compensation from the Justice Department for previous federal investigations
-
Trump nominee in limbo after racist texts leakSpeed Read Paul Ingrassia lost Republican support following the exposure of past racist text messages
-
Trump begins East Wing demolition for ballroomspeed read The president’s new construction will cost $250 million
-
Appeals court clears Trump’s Portland troop deploymentSpeed Read A divided federal appeals court ruled that President Trump can send the National Guard to Portland
-
Millions turn out for anti-Trump ‘No Kings’ ralliesSpeed Read An estimated 7 million people participated, 2 million more than at the first ‘No Kings’ protest in June
