Chairman Bennie Thompson (D-MS) kicks off first hearing of select committee investigating January 6th insurrection:
“There’s no place for politics or partisanship in this investigation. Our only charge is to follow the facts where they lead us.”
First witnesses coming: Four police officers who defended the Capitol on January 6th enter the hearing room to testify about their experience.
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1/6 Committee Chairman Bennie Thompson (D-MS) plays several minutes of violent video from January 6th to remind committee that “this threat hasn’t gone away.”
U.S. Capitol Police officer Aquilino Gonell cries as he watches the violent video just played during the House select committee hearing on the Jan. 6 Capitol attack.
(AP Photo/ Andrew Harnik)
U.S. Capitol Police officer Aquilino Gonell calls out “continuous shocking attempt” to “ignore or destroy the truth” and “whitewash” the January 6th insurrection.
U.S. Capitol Police officer Aquilino Gonell on assaults officers faced by 1/6 insurrectionists:
“The physical violence we experienced was horrific and devastating. My fellow officers and I were punched, kicked, shoved, sprayed with chemical irritants …”
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"I was at risk of being stripped of and killed with my own firearm, as I heard chants of 'kill him with his own gun.'"
— DC Metropolitan Police Officer Michael Fanone
Officer Michael Fanone continues his harrowing 1/6 committee testimony:
"I was electrocuted again and again and again with a taser. I'm sure I was screaming but I don't think I could even hear my own voice."
In a heated moment, Officer Michael Fanone bangs on the table:
"The indifference shown to my colleagues is disgraceful ... Nothing, truly nothing, has prepared me to address those elected members of our government who continue to deny the events of that day."
Asked what it will take to up the vaccination rate in Alabama, Gov. Kay Ivey (R-AL) snaps: “I don’t know, you tell me! Folks supposed to have common sense. It’s time to start blaming the unvaccinated folks.”
(For more context, Ivey signed a ban on vaccine passports back in May.)
For what it's worth, here's what Gov. Kay Ivey tweeted after signing that vaccine passport ban into law
"I think you should be able to go out and make a billion dollars, or hundred million dollars ... but I ask one thing: Pay your fair share — just pay your fair share."
— President Biden at CNN town hall in Cincinnati
Don Lemon: "How do you respond to Republicans who try to paint you and your party as anti-police?"
Pres. Biden: "They're lying."
Don Lemon: "...So why is protecting the filibuster, is that more important than protecting voting rights?"
Pres. Biden: "No. It's not ... What I don't want to do is get wrapped up right now in the argument whether or not [the voting rights bill] is all about the filibuster ..."