It was the first hearing held by the House Select Committee investigating the attack by pro-Trump rioters who were trying to stop the certification of the presidential election.
Four officers — Pfc. Harry Dunn and Sgt. Aquilino Gonell of the U.S. Capitol Police, and Michael Fanone and Daniel Hodges of the Washington, D.C., Metropolitan Police Department — each gave opening statements and answered questions from committee members.
Some toady of a Republican representative from Georgia said that he felt the rioters walking through the halls of the Capitol looked to him like tourists. The same representative on January 6th was photographed barricading the doors of Congress to try and keep the rioters out of the chamber. The officers in the Committee Hearing were asked about the tourist comment. Daniel Hodges said, “Well, if that is what American tourists are like then I can see why other countries do not like American tourists.”
Fanone decried those in Congress who are “downplaying or outright denying what happened” that day, saying, “I feel like I went to hell and back to protect them.”
“The indifference shown to my colleagues is disgraceful!” Fanone shouted as he pounded the witness table. “Nothing, truly nothing has prepared me to address those elected members of our government who continue to deny the events of that day. And in doing so betray their oath of office.”