Michael Fanone Reacts to Trump’s Pardons for Jan. 6 Rioters
Former police officer Michael Fanone, who defended the Capitol during the January 6, 2021, riots, has expressed grave concerns about his safety following President Donald Trump’s sweeping pardons of 1,500 individuals connected to the violent event.
In one of his first acts upon returning to office, Trump fulfilled a campaign promise to issue the controversial pardons. The riot, aimed at disrupting the certification of the 2020 presidential election, saw law enforcement officers subjected to brutal violence, including physical assaults, chemical sprays, and attacks with blunt objects such as flagpoles and batons.
Fanone, who was dragged into the mob and viciously beaten during the riot, spoke about his fears during an interview on Morning Joe with host Willie Geist. “I fully expect to experience violence at the hands of some of these individuals,” he said. Fanone also revealed that he is in the process of securing protective orders against certain individuals involved, naming four who had admitted to attacking him.
I’m going through the process. Unfortunately, it doesn’t look like it’s going to be as easy as I had initially anticipated. That being said, listen, once these guys were pardoned… and let’s talk about the individuals that were pardoned… Daniel Rodriguez , sentenced to more than 12 years in prison after he pled guilty and admitted to using a taser device, applying it to the base of my skull numerous times while I was being restrained in a crowd and assaulted. Albuquerque Cosper Head from Tennessee, placed me in a headlock, pled guilty.
This is the rider that if you watch my body worn camera footage yelled out, ‘I’ve got one! As he dragged me out into the crowd.’ Thomas Sibick , who while I was restrained and being assaulted, ripped my badge and my radio from my police vest. Kyle Young , who again while I was being restrained and assaulted, tried to remove my firearm from its holster as he violently assaulted me.
These individuals pled guilty. They admitted that they assaulted a uniformed law enforcement officer who was simply doing his job, and Donald Trump chose to pardon these violent criminals. They are all out on the street today because of Donald Trump’s actions.
The Capitol attack left a lasting impact on law enforcement officers. Capitol Police Officer Brian Sicknick died the day after the riot following exposure to chemical spray, and over 140 officers from the Capitol Police and the Metropolitan Police Department sustained injuries, ranging from concussions and broken bones to severe psychological trauma. In the aftermath, several officers who defended the Capitol tragically died by suicide.
Fanone’s concerns are rooted in the potential for renewed threats against him and his family now that some of those convicted have been released. “It’s not just about me,” he explained. “These are people who demonstrated a willingness to use violence to achieve their goals.”
My family is less safe. We have suffered threats and acts of violence almost immediately after my congressional testimony in the select committee hearing. In fact, I didn’t even make it through my testimony before I received the first threatening phone call. My mother has been the victim of swatting incidents. She has had bricks thrown at her home in the middle of the night. And recently, while she was raking the leaves in her front yard, she had an individual pull up in a truck and throw a bag of shit on her.
This is the type of conduct and behavior that we’ve experienced for four years, and quite frankly, law enforcement has been feckless in its attempts to protect us and prevent these types of crimes from occurring.
Critics have blasted Trump’s pardons, arguing that they undermine accountability and send a dangerous message about the consequences of political violence. Fanon, a vocal advocate for justice and accountability since the attack, has become a prominent voice for those seeking to highlight the ongoing impacts of the Capitol riots on law enforcement and democracy.
As Fanone continues to navigate the personal and professional aftermath of January 6, his words underscore the challenges facing those tasked with defending the rule of law amid a deeply polarized political landscape.
Because of these pardons, my family is threatened and my family is less safe. I fully expect to experience a violence at the hands of some of these individuals, whether it’s the ones that directly assaulted me or others who see me as a spokesperson for accountability.
For January 6th, I certainly feel as though I have a target on my back and there’s a target on the back of my family members, and not just from these violent criminals, but from the government itself, from Donald Trump’s government.