MSNBC host gets emotional in interview with former DC officer on Jan. 6 anniversary

MSNBC's Jonathan Capehart became emotional during an interview with former D.C. police officer Michael Fanone on the third anniversary of the January 6th Capitol riot.

Immediately after introducing Fanone, Capehart became visibly emotional and his voice trembled.

“Officer Fannone, I'm going to try to get through this,” Capehart said. “Thank you for what you did for me three years ago today.”

During the rebellion, Fanone was beaten and shot with a taping gun, suffering a heart attack and traumatic brain injury.

A California man pleaded guilty in February 2023 to assaulting Fanone during the Jan. 6 riot. A month later, another mob “forcibly removed” Mr. Fanone's badge and radio as a group of insurrectionists “taped, kicked, punched, pushed, grabbed, and punched” then-Metropolitan police officers. pled guilty as.

Fanone has since spoken out about his experiences during the riot and repeatedly criticized former President Trump. Fanone said in a separate MSNBC interview Friday that President Biden needs to fight harder for democracy.

“I think it's an all-out effort to make sure Donald Trump doesn't become president in 2024,” Michael Fanone said on MSNBC. “We all know how it goes and he told us as much.”

“But I also have to point out, yeah, some of the disappointments I've felt over the last three years,” Fanone continued. “And where is the anger on behalf of the current administration? As you know, Joe Biden has given fiery speeches regarding MAGA and efforts to overturn a free and fair election. But , that's what this country needs to hear every day, especially young people, young voters.”

In his first campaign speech of the year on Friday, President Biden highlighted the Jan. 6 attack to underscore the argument that President Trump and his supporters embraced the type of extremism that emerged that day.

“Democracy is on the ballot. Your freedom is on the ballot,” Biden said in a speech near Valley Forge, Pennsylvania.