Officer Injured in Capitol Riot Hammers McConnell on ‘Disgraceful’ Opposition to 1/6 Commission: ‘Absolutely Sickened’

Washington, D.C. Metropolitan police officer Michael Fanone spoke with Don Lemon on Wednesday to discuss the defeat of a bill to create a bipartisan commission to investigate the January 6 Capitol riot. Fanone was on duty that day as supporters of Donald Trump stormed the Capitol after the then-president encouraged rally attendees to go there to “fight” and “show strength.” Trump repeated the lie to his supporters that the 2020 presidential election had been stolen from him.

Rioters attacked Fanone with metal pipes and hit him with a stun gun. During the assault, he suffered a mild heart attack.

Last week Fanone was at the Capitol speaking with senators about the upcoming vote on the commission in an effort to get them to vote yes. Joining him was Gladys Sicknick, the mother of officer Brian Sicknick, who was also at the Capitol on Jan. 6 when a rioter sprayed him with an unknown substance. The officer died of a stroke the next day. In the coming weeks, two officers who were at the Capitol that day died by suicide.

“While you were on Capitol Hill talking to senators,” said Lemon, “you were told, I’m sure, that Mitch McConnell was calling his colleagues saying to vote against the commission as a personal favor to him. How’d that make you feel?”

Fanone didn’t hold back on the Senate Minority Leader.

I was absolutely sickened. You know, here I am escorting the mother of a dead policeman, while she and myself advocate for the formation of a commission to investigate the circumstances which resulted in her son’s death. And you have a leader on Capitol Hill who’s making phone calls asking for personal favors and doling out political capital to push for, you know, a no vote on that commission.

It was absolutely disgraceful.

McConnell’s lobbying paid off for Republicans. The Senate failed to authorize the formation of the commission, as it fell six votes short of clearing the 60-vote cloture threshold to begin debate on the measure. The vote was 54 in favor, 35 against.

Watch above via CNN.