Gladys Sicknick, the parent of fallen U.S. Capitol Police serviceman Brian Sicknick, attends a Congressional Gold Medal Ceremony for U.S. Capitol Police and D.C. Metropolitan Police officers, alongside Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy. | Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images
Police officers who responded to the Jan. 6 Capitol onslaught and immoderate of their household members pointedly declined to shingle the hands of Mitch McConnell and Kevin McCarthy arsenic they accepted Congressional Gold Medals connected Tuesday.
Officers shook hands with Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer arsenic they accepted the medals, but rapidly moved past the House and Senate Republican leaders — contempt McConnell outstretching his hand. All elder legislature leaders were participating successful the lawsuit to grant U.S. Capitol Police officers, Washington D.C. Metropolitan Police and others who responded during the riot.
“May this medal — the highest grant that Congress tin bestow — service arsenic a token of our nation’s deepest gratitude and respect: not arsenic afloat but arsenic a token,” Pelosi said anterior to awarding the medals astatine a ceremonial that took spot successful the Capitol Rotunda.
Among those who walked past the legislature leaders were the household of Brian Sicknick, a U.S. Capitol Police serviceman who died successful the days pursuing the onslaught and aboriginal laic successful grant successful the Capitol.
In ceremonial remarks aft the snub, McConnell and McCarthy some thanked the officers for their heroics during that day.
“To each the instrumentality enforcement officers who support this state safe: convey you,” McCarthy said. “Too galore radical instrumentality that for granted, but days similar contiguous unit america to recognize however overmuch we beryllium the bladed bluish line.”
Police officers person criticized McCarthy’s effect pursuing the attack, including erstwhile D.C. serviceman Michael Fanone, who suffered a traumatic encephalon wounded and a bosom onslaught successful the riot and secretly recorded a gathering with the House Republican leader. Some House Republicans person downplayed the seriousness of the attack, and McCarthy has personally minimized erstwhile President Donald Trump’s relation successful stoking the mob.
McConnell has called the Jan. 6 onslaught a “violent insurrection,” but besides joined McCarthy and different Republicans successful voting against the constitution of a bipartisan committee to analyse the riot. The GOP Senate person besides voted against convicting Trump successful his 2nd impeachment proceedings implicit the erstwhile president’s relation successful Jan. 6.
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