On Tuesday, when Mitch McConnell and Kevin McCarthy were awarded the Congressional Gold Medal, the police officers who reacted to the attack on the Capitol on January 6 and some of their family members made a clear decision not to touch the hands of either of the politicians.
As they accepted the medals, officers and members of the family of fallen officer Brian Sicknick shook hands with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer. However, they moved quickly past the House and Senate Republican leaders, despite Mitch McConnell extending his hand to them. At the celebration that was held to thank the officers of the United States Capitol Police, the Washington Metropolitan Police Department, and others who responded during the incident, all of the senior congressional leaders were there.
Before handing out the medals at a ceremony that took place in the Capitol Rotunda, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi gave a speech in which she wished that “this medal, the highest honor that Congress can bestow,” would serve as “a token of our nation’s deepest gratitude and respect: not as full but as a token.”
The family of Sicknick, a U.S. Capitol Police officer who died in the days following the attack and was ultimately laid to rest in honor in the Capitol, was among the people who walked past the congressional leaders as they were leaving the chamber.
Both McConnell and McCarthy expressed gratitude to the officers for their valorous actions on the day in question during the ceremony speeches that followed the snub.
McCarthy expressed gratitude to all of the law enforcement officers who work to maintain the safety of the country. “Far too many people take that for granted, but days like today force us to appreciate how much we owe the thin blue line,” the author writes.
Today, Congress honored MPD and @CapitolPolice with the Congressional Gold Medal, the highest expression of appreciation, for our service and sacrifice on Jan 6.
We appreciate this honor that has been bestowed upon us. The bravery of our members that day will never be forgotten. pic.twitter.com/bRKD68bgYA
— DC Police Department (@DCPoliceDept) December 6, 2022
When questioned about the incident later on Tuesday, McConnell did not provide any criticism of the acts taken by the family. “Today, we presented the gold award to the brave individuals who saved lives on January 6,” They are worthy of our admiration and respect. “They threw their lives on the line, and as a result, we are awarding a gold medal to the heroes of January 6,” the leader of the Republican Party in the Senate stated during his weekly press conference.
Former District of Columbia officer Michael Fanon, who suffered a traumatic brain injury and a heart attack during the riot and secretly recorded a meeting with the House Republican leader, is one of the officers who has criticized McCarthy’s response following the attack. Other officers have also criticized McCarthy’s response. McCarthy has personally understated the role that former President Donald Trump played in inciting the mob, as have several other House Republicans who have played down the seriousness of the incident.
McConnell has described the incident that took place on January 6 as a “violent uprising,” but he also voted with McCarthy and other Republicans to oppose the establishment of a bipartisan commission to investigate the violence. The leader of the Republican Senate caucus cast a no-conviction vote for Trump in his second impeachment trial on January 6 regarding the role of the former president.
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