‘National disgrace’: Former DC metro police officer calls out GOP reaction to Trump target letter

 

Join now for a reaction to these charges

by someone who was badly hurt

trying to defend the U.S.

Capitol and those in it.

On January six, Michael Fanone,

former Washington, D.C.

police officer.

He's now a senior in

law enforcement analyst.

Michael, it's

good to have you on the program.

This is obviously deeply personal for you

and for so many.

The law enforcement personnel

who were there that day

risking their lives and wondering just

what do you make of what we have seen

just in the last day or so?

I mean, in terms of these charges

or potential charges,

I'm better late than never.

I mean, I'm grateful for

the commitment of the

members of the Department of Justice

to pursue justice in this case and seek

a what appears to be an indictment

against the former president.

A lot of congressional Republicans,

as you know,

are using the line

that this is just the weaponization

of the Justice Department.

Earlier today,

Kevin McCarthy was pressed by CNN

if he would respect the results

of the special counsel's investigation.

I just want to play for our viewers

what he said

is not

I don't see how he could be found

criminally responsible.

He did not charge it.

Well, what criminal activity did he do?

He told people to be peaceful

That's the same Kevin McCarthy

who right after January

six, said

that the former president bears

responsibility for the attack

and then changed his mind weeks later.

Yeah, I mean,

it's become a national disgrace

that we have so many elected members

of our government that seem incapable

of acting in the best interest

of our country.

And Kevin McCarthy,

is at the forefront of that group.

It doesn't surprise you, though.

I mean, you've had

I remember

you going to you

writing in your book about a meeting

you were at with Kevin McCarthy.

You're not

surprised by the way he's playing this.

Yeah.

I mean, listen,

I wasn't naive prior to January six,

like many Americans.

But if there's one

fact that's been solidified in my mind

is that our politicians are foolish shit.

And at this point in time,

the Republican Party

seems to be winning the race.

With that, with regard

Would you

I mean, I know you're not an attorney.

The the three charges were mentioned

or potential charges

were mentioned in this in this world.

In this letter

that the former president received,

inciting an insurrection was not

one of them was deprivation

of rights, conspiracy

to commit an offense to or defraud

the United States, tampering

with a witness

and there's a lot of potential crimes

within those descriptions.

Those are just the kind of the

the the headlines

for for each of the statutes

there's not a

in terms of a potential indictment,

a charge for inciting an insurrection.

Does that matter to you?

No, I'm

very comfortable with these charges.

And I'm somebody who's followed this case

very closely.

In addition

to my participation

in the defense of the Capitol

on January 6th,

I attended

every one of the Select Committees

hearings.

But if there is one thing I do know, it's

that no one knows

this case better than Jack Smith

and the prosecutors on his team

far better than me.

And I want to read from you

a 2017 DOJ memorandum,

which pretty much sums up,

I think, why these charges were selected

and what their motivations are

It is a core principle

that prosecutors should charge and pursue

the most serious,

readily provable offenses.

This policy

affirms our responsibility to enforce

the law is moral and just

and produces consistency.

I've had many arguments with prosecutors

over the course of my 20 year career,

but I never questioned their commitment

and I never questioned their oath to

the Constitution.

And going back to Republican lawmakers,

we have a whole host of Republicans

running for president,

and it seems to escape them

the ability to

simply comment on the Trump

pending indictment

with the statement that

our justice system is not perfect,

but it is damn near perfect

and the best in the world.

And we should trust the process

and trust the career.

Prosecutors at the Department of Justice,

who serve

under a variety of administrations,

both Republican and Democrat,

and whose oath is to the Constitution

and to pursue justice.

Michael Flynn,

I appreciate you being with us tonight.

Thank you.

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