Mike Quigley: “Officer Brian Sicknick, Officer Howard Liebengood, Officer Jeffrey Smith, Officer Kyle DeFreytag, and Officer Gunther…”

“Officer Brian Sicknick, Officer Howard Liebengood, Officer Jeffrey Smith, Officer Kyle DeFreytag, and Officer Gunther Hashida. These are the names of the U.S. Capitol Police and D.C. Metropolitan Police who died in the wake of the January 6 Capitol attack. Mr. Speaker, 140 police officers were assaulted on January 6, but this week Donald Trump pardoned or commuted the sentences of over 1,500 individuals responsible for this attack. He has made a mockery of our justice system and the rule of law. These were not hostages, and they were not victims. They were extremists who showed up armed, wore Nazi symbols, and attacked police officers. They were militants who planned for months to overthrow the election and were convicted of sedition by a jury of their peers. Make no mistake, Mr. Speaker, the President has put dangerous criminals back on the streets. Today, I echo the National Association of Police Organizations in their condemnation of this act. ____________________”