More Chaos Ensues Over Trump’s Pardons
Michael Fanone, a former officer with the District of Columbia Metropolitan Police, who was assaulted during the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot, recently voiced his deep sense of betrayal over President Trump’s decision to pardon rioters. In an emotional interview with CNN’s Anderson Cooper, Fanone expressed how the pardon left him feeling abandoned by both his country and those who supported Trump, particularly those who voted for him under the assumption that such pardons were imminent.
“I feel betrayed,” Fanone said. “Tonight, six individuals who attacked me as I carried out my duties on January 6—just as countless other law enforcement officers did—are now free to walk without consequences.” He emphasized that while he was doing his job, the actions of rioters were supported, in part, by a political figure who many had trusted to uphold law and order.
Fanone’s remarks were particularly sharp in his criticism of the Republican Party, which he accused of hypocrisy regarding its support for law enforcement. “The GOP claims to stand with police officers, but when push comes to shove, it’s clear they protect violent criminals who attacked those same officers,” he said. “The leader of the Republican Party, Donald Trump, has pardoned hundreds of individuals who physically assaulted police officers.”
Fanone also spoke out against President Biden’s recent actions in issuing preemptive pardons to certain individuals, including those who had been involved in the January 6th insurrection. Though Biden’s actions were intended to prevent politically motivated retaliation, Fanone viewed them as a troubling sign of the state of the nation’s leadership. “It’s a sad commentary,” he remarked, “that the sitting president felt the need to issue a pardon to someone involved in an ongoing investigation, simply because the former president had promised retribution.”
Finally, Fanone expressed concern for his own safety and that of his family, revealing the continued threats they’ve received since his testimony before the House January 6th Committee. For Fanone, the events surrounding January 6 have become an ongoing chapter of personal risk and national division.
