Michael Fanone, the DC Metropolitan Police officer who virtually died defending the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, suffered burns, a coronary heart assault and traumatic mind accidents after insurrectionists assaulted him that day. He received an electrical shock on his neck, and was overwhelmed with a flagpole.
Fanone has since resigned as a police officer, and has criticized these he says are attempting to "whitewash" the assault on the Capitol.
He secretly recorded his conversations with lawmakers within the months that adopted. They're described in his new memoir, "Maintain the Line: The Rebellion and One Cop's Battle for America's Soul" (to be revealed October 11 by Atria Books, an imprint of Simon & Schuster, which, like CBS, is a part of Paramount International).
In a gathering with Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, Fanone described the assault officers confronted, and, Fanone writes, Graham responded: "You guys ought to have shot all of them within the head."
On "CBS Mornings" Monday, Fanone described his conferences with lawmakers after the riots: "I used to be there that day with Gladys Sicknick, who's the mom of officer Brian Sicknick, who misplaced his life on account of his work on January 6, and in addition [Capitol Police Officer] Harry Dunn was with me. And we had been there advocating for a bipartisan fee to analyze the reason for January 6. And so, we had been assembly with a bunch of senators attempting to sway their vote, primarily I believe it was all Republican senators. And Lindsey Graham occurred to be current at this one assembly, and through that assembly – I do not know if he was attempting to be humorous or what – however he did form of fly off the deal with and say that he gave us weapons, and that we should always have shot all these protesters within the head."
"CBS Mornings" co-host Gayle King requested, "What did you assume when he stated that?"
"I advised him I appreciated his enthusiasm," Fanone replied. "However you understand, there are very particular tips that dictate legislation enforcement's use of drive. And you understand, whereas we're licensed to make use of lethal drive in some very slim set of circumstances, they'd not have been sensible in that sort of an atmosphere when there are such a lot of folks condensed in such a small house. There would have been people who would have been simply caught within the crossfire and killed with out justification.
"Nevertheless it additionally speaks to a better misunderstanding of policing and police insurance policies – you understand, our flesh pressers are right here to facilitate constructive conversations about legislation enforcement with legislation enforcement and members of the group, and when you will have a sitting U.S. senator who does not even perceive primary police coverage, that is an issue."
CBS Information has been given first entry to a surreptitious audio recording Fanone made throughout a June 2021 assembly between officers who responded on Jan. 6 and Home Republican chief Kevin McCarthy of California, who spoke about his actions on the Capitol that day.
McCarthy: "I used to be attempting to convey to all people I do know – as a result of they are not inside right here – what is going on inside. And that is once I went on tv, too. I stated I talked to the president, and I would like it ended."
The mom of Officer Sicknick, who died of pure causes a day after the assault, was additionally within the assembly, and requested McCarthy why then-President Trump did not name off the mob.
Gladys Sicknick: "[Trump] knew what was occurring. He knew they had been combating for hours and hours and hours … You realize, this does not make any sense to me."
McCarthy: "I am simply telling you from my cellphone name I do not know that he did know that at that time."
In one other alternate, Fanone challenges McCarthy, when the Republican chief urges in opposition to "politicizing" Jan. 6:
McCarthy: '"If we do not deal with it in a political means, I do not consider that occurs … If we deal with it like politics, then it simply – "
Fanone: "Kevin, I agree with you. The issue is, it is political, as a result of it occurred right here on Capitol Hill and it concerned a political motion. It concerned a gaggle of extremist proper wing parts of our American society, which was mobilized by politicians, and that is only a truth."
Neither McCarthy nor Graham have returned requests from CBS Information for feedback on their conversations with Fanone.
Fanone has spoken in regards to the lack of privateness, and the compromises to his bodily and psychological well being, owing to the Jan. 6 rioters. When requested why he has continued to talk out publicly, he stated, "I proceed to speak about it as a result of I have not achieved what I got down to accomplish, which was accountability for those who had been accountable for January 6, and in addition for acknowledgment for the officers that fought on the Capitol that day to protect democracy."
"CBS Mornings" co-host Tony Dokoupil requested, "For individuals who do not consider what their very own eyes see in video main as much as the riot on January 6 after which the day of the riot itself, it's totally arduous to persuade them, and virtually the extra you attempt, the extra they resist. I do know you've got had conversations with folks the place you've got skilled that. How do you get by way of that so, as you say, the reality and the accountability you are in search of turns into a actuality?"
"I attempted by releasing my body-worn digital camera footage, letting folks see firsthand the truth of the violence of that day," he stated. "We're now 19 months later, and sadly there's nonetheless a big a part of America that both does not consider what occurred that day, they do not consider me, or they're simply detached to what occurred."
"You are a really recognizable man," stated Dokoupil. "When somebody stops you at a restaurant or on a road nook and says, 'Hey, you are that man, you are mendacity, you are on the market telling lies,' how do you deal with that?"
"Fortuitously, the in-person interactions that I've had have been principally optimistic," Fanone stated. "Once I do have unfavourable interactions, the persons are often so offended that they are incoherent. I do not know what the hell they're saying anyway."
Co-host Nate Burleson requested, "You say that there could possibly be potential penalties if that day is whitewashed. What do you imply by whitewashed, and in addition what are these penalties?"
"Effectively, clearly you will have, by whitewashing, I am referring to statements from lawmakers like Andrew Clyde [A Georgia Republican who described the riot as a "normal tourist visit"], like Marjorie Taylor Greene [also a Georgia Republican], people who find themselves saying that it was not a violent day," Fanone stated. "They accomplish that by taking, like, a single photograph of, you understand, a comparatively peaceable show on that day and utilizing that microevent to explain, you understand, the whole occasion in and of itself.
"I imply, it is not 'deceptive'; it is a lie. You realize, if two folks hugged it out on the west entrance of the Capitol whereas tons of of officers had been getting their behinds overwhelmed, is that an sincere description of what occurred that day?
"And clearly, if we do not maintain these folks accountable, you understand, we will see one of these violence once more," Fanone added. "We'll see this playbook turn into part of our nationwide politics. And when one aspect does not win, they are going to resort to violence."
Co-host Gayle King stated, "My coronary heart broke studying the guide. It made me offended, it made me unhappy. And I am considering you are an officer the place at one level you had been advised, 'kill him together with his personal gun.' I do not understand how you course of that, Michael, and proceed to do what you proceed to do."
"I am cussed," he replied.
Fanone's revelations come because the Home January sixth Choose Committee prepares to return to the highlight this week following a summer season of behind-the-scenes investigating and looking for extra data from the united statesSecret Service about lacking Jan. 6 textual content messages.
The Home Choose Committee listening to is scheduled for Thursday, October 13 at 1 p.m. ET.
For more information:
- "Maintain the Line: The Rebellion and One Cop's Battle for America's Soul" by Michael Fanone and John Shiffman (Atria Books), in Hardcover, eBook, and Audio codecs, out there October 11 through Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Indiebound
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