U.S. Rep. Andrew Clyde is under fire again on the topic of the January 6 assault on the Capitol, this time for refusing to shake the hand of a Capitol police officer who says he was beaten by Trump supporters on that day as he was attempting to defend the building and the people inside. Officer Michael Fanone was back at that same building on Wednesday when he ran into Clyde on the elevator and introduced himself, but was snubbed when he extended his hand.
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“I said that I was Officer Michael Fanone, that I was a D.C. Metropolitan police officer who fought on January 6th to defend the Capitol,” he explained to CNN. “And as a result, I suffered a traumatic brain injury as well as a heart attack after having been tased numerous times at the base of my skull, as well as being severely beaten.”
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Rather than shake his hand, Clyde decided to pretend he didn’t exist, taking out his phone to stare at and “as soon as the elevator doors opened, he ran as quickly as he could like a coward.”
This seemed like a strange response to many who thought that the Republican party was supposed to be fiercely pro-police.
Fanone’s introduction to Clyde was presumably due to the congressman’s recent characterization of the Capitol rioters fighting with police, trashing the place, chanting “hang Mike Pence” and leaving poop on the floor and walls behind them as “a normal tourist visit.” He also voted against awarding the Congressional Gold Medal to Fanone and his fellow officers who were on duty that day, along with 20 of his Republican colleagues.
Even some of his fellow Republicans, however, have condemned Clyde for snubbing Fanone, pointing out that he would have lost nothing by shaking the man’s hand and at least acknowledging that he had a tough day on January 6.
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“Every now and again I think, we have to be at the bottom of how low we can get,” said Rep. Adam Kinzinger of Illinois. “You don’t have to admit you should have voted for [the Congressional Gold Medal] by shaking a guy’s hand. The presence of these heroes can make some people uncomfortable.”
Clyde was already mocked for his “tourist visit” comments after people found photos of him looking quite terrified as he helped to barricade the House chamber doors against rioters, helped by other Capitol police officers. Those images are now spreading again after the news broke about this latest act of cowardice.
This is Rep. Andrew Clyde hiding behind law enforcement and using them as a shield just like he uses them for political donations & endorsements, while blatantly disrespecting them because blue lives never mattered unless it lines his pockets, or perhaps gets him a vote. pic.twitter.com/gZcb7OmyIm
— Kyla In The Burgh
(@KylaInTheBurgh) June 17, 2021
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*First Published: June 17, 2021, 12:57 pm
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