Republicans Vote Against Giving Congressional Medal To Capitol Police. Here’s Why.
The House of Representatives voted overwhelmingly Wednesday to award a Congressional Gold Medal to the U.S. Capitol Police for their actions during the Jan. 6 attack on Congress, but a dozen Republicans broke with the rest of their caucus and opposed the effort, disputing how the bill framed the riots.
The bill — which passed 413-12 — referred to Jan. 6 rioters as a “mob of insurrectionists,” and it applauded the “patriotism and the commitment” of officers Brian Sicknick (who died following the riot), Howard Liebengood (who died by suicide days later) and Eugene Goodman (who is credited with fending off and diverting a mob of rioters).
Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-Texas) plans to introduce a competing resolution that would also award a Gold Medal to the Capitol Police, but he claimed in a statement the existing bill “seeks to drive a narrative that isn’t substantiated by known facts,” though he didn’t specify which parts of the bill he dislikes or believes are unsubstantiated.
Similarly, Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) told reporters the bill included “editorial comments,” Rep. Andy Harris (R-Md.) said in a statement the bill contained “partisan charged language,” and Reps. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) and Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) disputed its use of the word “insurrectionists” and description of the Capitol as a “temple of our American Democracy.”
Forbes has reached out to the other seven House Republicans who voted no: Reps. Andy Biggs (Ariz.), Lance Gooden (Texas), Andrew Clyde (Ga.), Michael Cloud, Greg Steube (Fla.), John Rose (Tenn.) and Bob Good (Va.).
