Hearing Highlights Tensions Surrounding January 6th Riot

During a recent hearing, former Metropolitan Police Department officer Mike Fanone interrupted by exclaiming, “Fuck you,” as former special prosecutor Jack Smith testified. Smith spoke for nearly five hours before the House Judiciary Committee, defending the prosecution of former President Donald Trump.

Texas Republican Rep. Troy Nehls questioned the Capitol Police leadership’s role in inciting the January 6, 2021, riot, suggesting that they bore responsibility for Fanone’s involvement. Nehls stated, “The blame does not lie with Donald Trump,” pointing fingers at Yogananda Pittman and the Congressional leadership instead.

Fanone’s outburst came as Nehls continued, claiming that the Capitol leadership, particularly Pittman, had prior intelligence indicating a potential for violence. At the time of the riot, Pittman served as deputy chief of the U.S. Capitol Police and had acknowledged that by January 4, the department recognized a “strong possibility of violence” against Congress.

Fanone has also appeared on various news platforms, accusing Trump of inciting the riot. On a podcast earlier this month, he suggested that Americans might need to use force against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) following a shooting incident involving an officer.

He expressed frustration over the police leadership’s calls for calm, stating, “What are you doing to protect me? What are you doing to protect my mother, my sister, my community from thugs?” Fanone urged investigators and police to take accountability. He concluded by emphasizing the necessity for Americans to organize and utilize their Second Amendment rights against what he considers failing institutions.