On Tuesday, the starting shot was fired for the extensive and controversial investigation of the Congress storm on 6 January. Several lost their lives and hundreds were injured in what is described as one of the worst attacks on American democracy of all time.
The investigation started with four police officers on the witness stand. They were at work on January 6, and the day had left its clear mark on them all.
January 6 was the first time I was more afraid of working in Congress than I was during my entire deployment in Iraq. In Iraq, we expected to face armed violence because we were in a war zone. But nothing prepared me for January 6, it was worse than Iraq, says Sergeant Aquilino Gonell.
– A clearly marked Gonell told about his experiences on January 6. Photo: Chip Somodevilla / AFP
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According to CBS More than 150 police officers were injured during the uprising, and several of them are still struggling. In addition, several police officers lost their lives, either as a result of injuries sustained during the riots, or because they committed suicide shortly afterwards. Gonell described in detail how the police officers were regularly attacked by the furious rebels. The sergeant thought even his last hour had come.
– I was crushed by the rebels. I noticed that I lost oxygen and remember thinking: “This is how I’m going to die, trampled to death while protecting the entrance,” says Gonell.
Angry at Republicans
The police officers’ testimonies were emotional, but at times also an angry affair. In the months since January 6, more and more Republicans have tried to tone down or deny what actually happened during the storm. Republican Andrew Clyde described the uprising as a “regular tourist visit” and several in the party have dismissed the investigation as biased.
– Aquilino Gonell, Michael Fanone, Daniel Hodges and Harry Dunn were all at work on January 6th. Photo: Chip Somodevilla / AFP
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– The indifference shown to my colleagues is shameful, said Officer Fanone as he slapped his hand on the table.
Fanone is a self-proclaimed Republican, but felt betrayed by politicians trying to sweep the storm under the rug.
– What makes it all more difficult and painful is to know that so many of my fellow citizens, including several of those I protected with life as an effort, choose to tone down or deny what happened. I went through hell to protect them, Fanone said.
Fanone also described in detail how he was assaulted, shot with an electroshock weapon and threatened with death by the protesters. Police officer Harry Dunn was himself subjected to gross racism during the storm:
– Some of them shouted «Do you hear that, folks? This nigger voted for Joe Biden. Bu, damn nigger, ‘said Dunn.
– Harry Dunn had to stop during the diploma. Photo: Jim Bourg / AP Photo
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– No one had ever called me that word while I was in uniform, the police officer added.
Requires an answer
Liz Cheney is one of two Republicans on the committee of inquiry. She opened the hearing with a thunderous speech, describing “cancer” in American society.
– We can not let the violence from January 6 remain hidden, says Cheney, who announced that she will review every nook and cranny to get to the bottom of the matter.
– We need to know what was going on minute by minute in the White House. Every phone call, every call, every meeting that took place, before, during and after the attack, the Republican said.
– Republican Liz Cheney greets police officers who will testify during the hearing. Photo: Chip Somodevilla / AFP
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Pelosi Republicans
More and more of Cheney’s party colleagues have recently criticized the investigation for being politically motivated. After Republicans voted down a proposal to appoint an independent commission of inquiry, they opposed Nancy Pelosi’s decision to block two Republicans from participating in the inquiry.
Pelosi pointed out that representatives Jim Banks and Jim Jordan’s previous statements about the storming and electoral fraud disqualified them from attending the hearing, and instead appointed the Trump-critical Republicans Cheney and Adam Kinzinger to contribute to the work. Republican leader Kevin McCarthy warned all Republicans that it would have consequences if they participated in the investigation, referring to Kinzinger and Cheney as “Pelosi Republicans.”
– Adam Kinzinger fought back tears as he spoke during the hearing. Photo: Jim Lo Scalzo / Getty Images
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During the hearing, Kinzinger went down the throat of his own party leadership:
– It is time to stand up against the conspiracy theories that incite violence, and to crack down on those who promote them, the representative said. He fought back tears as he addressed the four policemen:
– You won. You fought back, Kinzinger said.
At the same time as the hearing started inside the Congress, the leading Republican Elise Stefanik held a press conference outside. Here she aimed a powerful shot at Pelosi.
– Together with several Republican colleagues, Elise Stefanik held a press conference where they criticized the hearing. Photo: Joshua Roberts / REUTERS
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– The American people deserve to know the truth. Namely, that Nancy Pelosi is responsible, as leader of the House of Representatives, for the tragedy that took place on January 6, Stefanik said.
Pointing to Trump
Inside Congress, the mood was different. All four police officers expressed anger at the Republicans’ version of events on January 6.
“Although there is an overwhelming amount of evidence pointing in the opposite direction, including hours upon hours of video and footage, it is an ongoing and shocking attempt to ignore and destroy the truth about what actually happened that day,” said Sergeant Gonell.
He reacted strongly to Donald Trump’s role in the riots.
– All the rebels said: “Trump sent us.” It was not Antifa. It was not Black Lives Matter. It was his supporters, whom he sent to Congress that day, the policeman says.
– In a speech on January 6, Donald Trump asked those in attendance to march toward Congress. Photo: Jim Bourg / REUTERS
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Trump has previously described the protesters as “amiable” and claimed they “kissed and hugged the police”. The comments make Gonell literally look red.
– The comments are a pathetic excuse for his behavior. I still notice the consequences of the so-called “hugs and kisses”. If there are hugs and kisses, we should all go home to him and do the same to him, says Gonell. He immediately withdrew the comment, apologizing for the outburst.
Will hold backers accountable
Harry Dunn also confirmed that the rebels were “invited by Trump”. He had a clear message for the committee leading the investigation:
– If someone hires a hitman to kill someone, the hitman must go to jail. But the person who hired the assassin must also be in prison. An attack was carried out on January 6, and a hitman sent them. I want you to get to the bottom of it.
Dunn was supported by police officer and witness Daniel Hodges:
– I want you to investigate whether someone in a position of power played a role in this, whether someone in a position of power coordinated, or helped and assisted, or tried to launder, tried to prevent the investigation of this terrorist attack. “Because we can not do that,” said Hodges.
More than 550 people have so far been arrested for their involvement in the storm, while more than 300 are still wanted by the police. In the next few days, the investigation will interrogate a number of key witnesses, including politicians who were at work in Congress on that fateful day.
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