GOP Lawmaker Refuses to Shake D.C. Cop’s Hand, Then Runs
The United States came dangerously close to losing democracy January 6 when thousands of spiteful, armed Donald Trump supporters descended on the Capitol to do the failed president’s bidding to “stop the steal” of votes he still claims are his.
Although this act of “domestic terrorism, “ as FBI Director Christopher Wray defined the attack, did not elicit the outcome Donald Trump and his supporters intended, it successfully demonstrated how fragile our republic is.
But what ought to have been a national emergency eliciting a unified response so what happened Jan. 6 never happens again, the obstructionist republican party that cowers before its failed president is dismissing any reasonable accountability.
The corrupt republican party is running away from its responsibility.
Literally.
While performing his duties in defending the Capitol against Trump’s terrorists, DC metropolitan police officer Michael Fanone was beaten so severely, he suffered traumatic brain injury that led to a concussion, heart attack, and subsequent post-traumatic stress disorder.
He returned to DC last week to attempt to speak to republicans who voted against awarding congressional gold medals to his fellow officers.
While in an elevator, Fanone encountered Georgia Rep. Andrew Clyde-who insisted to the media “There was no insurrection”-and attempted to introduce himself.
But Clyde’s response was anything but cordial.
As Officer Fanone recounted:
“[I] extended my hand to shake his hand. He just stared at me. I asked if he was going to shake my hand, and he told me that he didn’t who know I was. So I introduced myself. “I said that I was Officer Michael Fanone. That I was a DC Metropolitan police officer who fought on 6 January to defend the Capitol and, as a result, I suffered a traumatic brain injury as well as a heart attack after having been tased numerous times at the base of my skull, as well as being severely beaten. “At that point, the congressman turned away from me.”
Clyde then whipped out his cell phone and proceeded to scroll through the apps, apparently, as Fanone surmised, attempting to record the encounter.
When the elevator doors opened, though, Rep. Clyde Clyde “ ran, as quickly as he could, like a coward. “
Fanone takes this interaction “ very personally,” insisting it was an insult and a “middle finger” to him and every officer who responded to defend the Capitol on January 6 against Donald Trump’s conspiracy theory-fueled terrorists.
I just called Officer Fanone and confirmed this story. This is really incredible. Also relayed an interaction he had with another members Chief of Staff that was really incredibly bad and disrespectful. https://t.co/fERYjK6dWg
- Adam Kinzinger (@AdamKinzinger) June 16, 2021
“House Minority Leader McCarthy has been hiding from Officer Fanone for weeks. McCarthy has refused to meet with the wounded officer and hear his story about his experiences during the Capitol attack. “The next time you hear a Republican claim that they love the police, keep in mind that these are the same people who are disrespecting an officer who put his life on the line to keep them safe.”
Originally published at http://liberalamerica.org on June 28, 2021.
