House Speaker Mike Johnson was shredded online for claiming that he and his Republican allies have “always stood with Capitol police.”
Johnson’s remark came in response to a reporter’s question over whether he thinks Capitol police should be included among the law enforcement officers the Trump administration has vowed to pay during the ongoing government shutdown. Capitol police missed their full paycheck and received only half their pay, excluding earned overtime, on Saturday due to the shutdown, according to NBC News.
“Should law enforcement include Capitol police who protect you, your family, Mr. Scalise, the Whip, as well as the Capitol Building in general?” a reporter asked the Republican.
“We’ve always stood with Capitol police and law enforcement and we’ve shown that in word and deed,” Johnson replied.
But Johnson’s words quickly went viral on social media, as some pointed out that President Donald Trump pardoned about 1,500 people who were prosecuted in connection with the January 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol, which left more than 140 police officers injured.
The House Homeland Security Committee Democrats’ account on X shared the clip and called Johnson’s remarks “bulls***.”
“Trump pardoned hundreds of cop beaters,” the post reads. “Republicans said nothing.”
Trump Lie Tracker, a popular X account with more than 130,000 followers, also shared the clip and wrote: “They didn’t lift a finger when Trump pardoned Jan 6 rioters who assaulted the very same police officers.”
The Independent has contacted Johnson’s office for comment.
On the first day of his second term, President Donald Trump commuted the sentences of 14 people linked to the January 6 attack and granted a “full, complete and unconditional pardon to all other individuals” convicted of offenses related to the attack.
Former Capitol Police Sgt. Aquilino Gonell, who was repeatedly assaulted during the riots, told NPR that Trump’s decision was a “miserable miscarriage of justice.”
“All this hard work, all these investigations, all the efforts to bring justice and accountability have been erased,” he said.
