January 6 select committee updates: Emotional testimony from officer, Cheney demands answers
January 6 select committee updates: Emotional testimony from officer, Cheney demands answers
Mabinty Quarshie and Matthew Brown, USA TODAY
Capitol Police Sgt. Auilino Gonell delivered an emotional opening statement to the committee, saying he “did not recognize my fellow citizens,” during the Jan. 6 insurrection.
An army veteran, Gonell said his experience during the insurrection was more threatening to his life than serving in Iraq. “I was more afraid to work at the Capitol than my entire deployment to Iraq,” he said.
“Nothing in my experience in the army or as a law enforcement officer prepared me for what we confronted in January 6th.”
During his statement, Gonell described being called a traitor and “falsely accused of betraying my oath.” He said he was shocked at being violently attacked by rioters using the American flag.
“My fellow officers and I were committed to not letting any rioters breach the Capitol. It was a very prolonged and desperate struggle,” Gonell told the committee.
Gonell also described thinking he would die defending the Capitol.
In between emotional pauses, he said he worked for 15 consecutive days after the insurrection because he wanted to help secure the Capitol.
Six months since the riot, Gonell is still recovering from injuries. He will need more surgery and has had “painful and hard” physical therapy.
READ MORE: January 6 select committee updates: Emotional testimony from officer, Cheney demands answers https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/ja...
Mabinty Quarshie and Matthew Brown, USA TODAY
Capitol Police Sgt. Auilino Gonell delivered an emotional opening statement to the committee, saying he “did not recognize my fellow citizens,” during the Jan. 6 insurrection.
An army veteran, Gonell said his experience during the insurrection was more threatening to his life than serving in Iraq. “I was more afraid to work at the Capitol than my entire deployment to Iraq,” he said.
“Nothing in my experience in the army or as a law enforcement officer prepared me for what we confronted in January 6th.”
During his statement, Gonell described being called a traitor and “falsely accused of betraying my oath.” He said he was shocked at being violently attacked by rioters using the American flag.
“My fellow officers and I were committed to not letting any rioters breach the Capitol. It was a very prolonged and desperate struggle,” Gonell told the committee.
Gonell also described thinking he would die defending the Capitol.
In between emotional pauses, he said he worked for 15 consecutive days after the insurrection because he wanted to help secure the Capitol.
Six months since the riot, Gonell is still recovering from injuries. He will need more surgery and has had “painful and hard” physical therapy.
READ MORE: January 6 select committee updates: Emotional testimony from officer, Cheney demands answers https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/ja...
These four men had a chance to tell their story and placed the whole event at the foot of TRUMP.
These four men are the Hero's. These four men are who The Republicans don't want you to hear but yet FREEDOM to lean the truth prevailed, that is democracy.
What Republicans now, will talk against these powerful words, these powerful facts?