Brian Sicknick’s Brother Explains Why He Didn’t Shake McConnell or McCarthy’s Hand at Jan. 6 Ceremony: ‘They Have No Idea What Integrity is’

The brother of a late police officer who responded to the Jan. 6 Capitol riot explained why he didn’t shake hands with Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) and House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA).

Congressional Gold Medals were awarded on Tuesday to those officers. There were 21 House Republicans who voted against awarding the medal to the officers.

The brother of Capitol Police officer Brain Sicknick, who died of a stroke shortly the day after the riot, did not mince words explaining why he snubbed McConnell and McCarthy.

“Self-explanatory, but, you know, they came out right away and condemned what happened on Jan. 6. And whatever hold Trump has on them, they backstepped and danced,” Ken Sicknick told CBS News congressional correspondent Scott McFarlane. “Not necessarily they themselves but of Trump and the rioters. I mean, people like [Texas GOP Congressman] Louie Gohmert who presented the American flag that was flown on the Capitol to a Jan. 6 rioter and told them they were a patriot. It’s disgusting. Takes away everything my brother’s done. Takes away the heroism my brother’s shown.”

Sicknick went on to say that McConnell and McCarthy, “unlike Liz Cheney, they have no idea what integrity is.”

“With them it’s party first,” he added. “Liz gave up her political career.” Rep. Liz Cheney (R-WY) is the vice chair on the committee and she and Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-IL) are the only Republicans on the committee. Cheney lost her primary earlier this year while Kinzinger retired.

Watch above.

(h/t Scott McFarlane)

Disclosure: The author of this article interned for Kinzinger.