Michael Fanone, who testified before the select committee investigating the Capitol riot, announced his resignation from the police force on Monday. He is set to become an on-air contributor for CNN in January.
Fanone was dragged into a mob and beaten during the chaos at the Capitol on January 6th. The officer suffered a heart attack during the melee and later publicly denounced lawmakers and others who downplayed the attack.
Fanone, the Washington Post reports, was heavily criticized amongst his fellow officers for playing to the national media.
“Clearly there are some members of our department who feel their oath is to Donald Trump and not to the Constitution,” he said of those who felt he was seeking attention.
“I no longer felt like I could trust my fellow officers and decided it was time to make a change.”
Michael Fanone, among the most severely injured fighting the Capitol mob on Jan. 6 and later one of the most outspoken against those playing down the riot, said he resigned from the D.C. police force Monday. https://t.co/h4yrMcDeUx
— The Washington Post (@washingtonpost) December 20, 2021
RELATED: Kinzinger Attacks Republicans Denying Capitol Riot – Like Something Out Of ‘North Korea’
Michael Fanone: CNN Employee
CNN’s Brian Stelter confirmed Fanone’s hiring.
A CNN rep confirms that Michael Fanone will start as an on-air contributor in January https://t.co/G7W5c6tITa
— Brian Stelter (@brianstelter) December 20, 2021
Fanone, according to the Post, spent months “recovering from the physical and emotional aftermath of the Jan. 6 events.”
He reportedly was displeased with the role he was given upon returning to the force in a limited capacity in September.
Fanone indicated his new position was meant to shield him from officers who were critical of his actions, saying he felt “like a child who did something wrong and was being tolerated.”
A CNN rep confirms that Michael Fanone will start as an on-air contributor in January https://t.co/G7W5c6tITa
— Brian Stelter (@brianstelter) December 20, 2021
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Testimony Moved Kinzinger To Tears
Michael Fanone was one of four police officers whose testimony before the House Select Hearing on the Capitol riot in July moved Representative Adam Kinzinger to tears.
He became visibly emotional himself during testimony, saying “what makes the struggle harder and more painful” is seeing lawmakers “downplaying or outright denying what happened” on January 6th.
“The indifference shown to my colleagues is disgraceful,” Fanone said, raising his voice and pounding the table.
Officer Michael Fanone: “The indifference shown to my colleagues is disgraceful.” https://t.co/OWw9wugsRg pic.twitter.com/m2bYbdNGDC
— The Hill (@thehill) July 27, 2021
Kinzinger (R-IL), a devout ‘Never Trumper,’ was widely mocked for crying following the testimony by the police officers.
“We may have our deep differences on other policy issues, but we are all Americans today,” he said, eyes puffy, biting his lip. “And we thank you for holding that line.”
In emotional remarks, GOP Rep. Adam Kinzinger praises officers who defended U.S. Capitol: “You guys won. You guys held.”
“Democracies are not defined by our bad days. We’re defined by how we come back from bad days.” https://t.co/Ivqza5UmhT pic.twitter.com/aqyBdqM8gk
— ABC News (@ABC) July 27, 2021
Kinzinger would later state he had become good friends with Officer Fanone.
“He’s a man very disheartened now, not because of his job and not because of what he went through, but because the party that claims they support law enforcement is ignoring him,” he claimed.
The National Police Association would later describe the testimony before the committee investigating the Capitol riot as a politically motivated “dog and pony show.”
Reps @Liz_Cheney and @RepKinzinger hug Dc police officer Michael Fanone — who was tasered and beaten during the insurrection, causing a heart attack — at today’s first hearing of the January 6 Insurrection Committee. pic.twitter.com/Rn9BQInK6j
— 🐗🏀🐗 (@David12345510) July 27, 2021
Association spokeswoman Betsy Brantner Smith denounced the committee for ignoring officers injured during Black Lives Matter riots.
“The 2020 riots, we can’t just say the whole George Floyd thing was bad and that’s what cops have to deal with and then watch these four weeping men talk about their experiences,” Smith said.
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