Family members of fallen Capitol Police officers publicly snubbed the GOP’s most public-facing leaders during a ceremony honoring those who gave their lives defending the Capitol building on Jan. 6th.
House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell were completely bypassed by relatives accepting awards on behalf of Capitol Police officers Brian Sicknick, Howard Liebengood, and William Evans, and D.C. Police officer Jeffrey Smith. The men were being honored with the Congressional Gold Medal for their bravery in defending members of Congress during the Trump-instigated insurrection which might be why their families weren’t pleased that Trump-simping Republicans were on-hand to pay their respects.
After all, these men died because of a voter fraud lie spread by Trump, who was enabled by both McCarthy and McConnell during and after the 2020 Presidential Election.
“I think whatever they said at that podium was because they were forced to,” Kevin Sicknick told The Huffington Post. “They had to show face because they were the leaders of their respective parties. But was it sincere? I doubt it.”
Both McConnell and McCarthy, while speaking out against the actions of the mob that day, refused to take harsh action against Trump, with McCarthy even flying down to Florida to ensure his support for the contested House Majority leadership. McConnell and McCarthy voted against an independent commission investigating the Jan. 6th insurrection, a motion proposed by the families of police officers, including the Sicknicks.
“I’m just tired of them standing there and saying how wonderful the Capitol Police is, and then they turn around and… go down to Mar-a-Lago and kiss his ring and come back and stand here and sit with — It just, it just hurts,” Gladys Sicknick, Brian Sicknick’s mother, told CNN.
The Sicknicks hadn’t planned on publicly dissing the GOP frontmen, but video from the ceremony clearly shows the family refusing to shake the hands of McConnell and McCarthy while both men stand with their hands outstretched.
During Congressional Gold Medal ceremony for Jan. 6 police, representatives of those receiving awards shake hands with Schumer then walk past McConnell and McCarthy. pic.twitter.com/YGjKXRGtiZ
— Howard Mortman (@HowardMortman) December 6, 2022
And though the context of this video is somber — these people lost loved ones because of the inaction and willful ignorance of the men now designing to offer them a glorified necklace in replace of their dead family members — the internet is having a bit of fun laughing at McConnell and McCarthy’s expense.
LMAO inject this into my veins
— what a Metstake🏳️🌈 (@ChristinaMets15) December 6, 2022
Watching the leaders of Congress passing out metals to the heroes of Jan 6th. Nobody is shaking the hands of McConnell and McCarthy. Good times!
— Foghorn Leghorn1357 (@leghorn1357) December 6, 2022
I can’t stop watching this video of McConnell getting snubbed. 🍿pic.twitter.com/7V5C7EEeAD
— Jo (@JoJoFromJerz) December 6, 2022
— sidney (@hcesd) December 6, 2022
Why would McConnell & McCarthy even show up to the Congressional Gold Medal Ceremony, after they’ve been gaslighting everyone about January 6th for almost two years?
Of course nobody wants to shake your chapped, dirty hands.
It’s the audacity for me.
— RazzLi (@razzli_) December 6, 2022
Excellent. Look at Mitch holding his hand out… unwanted.
— Otterly Magnificent (@OhMalarkey) December 6, 2022
Again. https://t.co/gzpnSzZDPT
— Joe Biden's Sneakers ((Z Kelly)) (@kellyz136) December 6, 2022
https://twitter.com/RekRekington/status/1600169993957957632
(Via Huffington Post)