Former Capitol Police officers present during the Jan. 6, 2021 insurrection said President-elect Trump’s commitment to pardon rioters is “a betrayal.”
“It’s a betrayal, a stab in the heart,” former Sergeant Aquilino Gonell told the Washington Post.
Trump said one of his first priorities after his inauguration is to pardon those imprisoned for their role in the riot despite pushback from some lawmakers, congressional staffers and Capitol police.
“We’ve been seeking accountability for years,” Gonell said. “It doesn’t seem like that’s going to happen.”
Gonnell sustained long lasting injuries on Jan. 6, 2021.
“I lost my health, I lost my career, I lost some friends,” he said reflecting on his decision to resign from the federal force.
His words echo the sentiments of former Capitol police Officer Harry Dunn who also resigned to run for a seat in Congress following the day’s unprecedented series of events.
Dunn said that forgiving insurrectionists for their violent actions shows a lack of accountability from the commander-in-chief.
“They broke the law, violated police officers, attacked us, and then went back and said we did it in the name of Donald Trump,” Dunn said. “And then Donald Trump is going to pardon them and say it’s okay, all is forgiven.”
Dunn and Gonnell are determined to ensure that history is not “erased” in hopes of preventing future riots from occurring and in honor of those hurt in 2021.
“That place became a burden for us psychologically to this day. I mean, there are times that I go in there and I don’t recognize the place because of what happened to me and to my colleagues,” said Gonell.
Senate Republicans said they would not oppose pardons for Jan. 6 rioters, leaving Trump an opening to overturn the cases of dozens of insurrectionists. The former president is scheduled to be inaugurated on Jan. 20.
