Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-TX) offered an alternate reality on Wednesday when he circulated a bill to award congressional gold medals to Capitol Police officers whose lives were endangered during the deadly insurrection earlier this year that former President Trump incited.
In his bill, Gohmert conveniently omits the reality behind the deaths of Officers Brian Sicknick, Jeffrey Smith and Howard Liebengood. Gohmert’s resolution simply states the officers “passed in January 2021” without acknowledging Sicknick after sustaining injuries during the Capitol attack, and Smith and Liebengood taking their own lives in the aftermath of the insurrection.
Gohmert’s bill comes after House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) previously introduced a bill to award law enforcement with congressional gold members for their heroism during the insurrection.
Politico first reported the news of Gohmert’s bill.
Scoop: Rep. Louie Gohmert is circulating a competing bill to award congressional gold medals to the Capitol Police.
But his bill doesn't mention Jan. 6. or the Capitol attack. Instead, it says "we mourn the losses" of Brian Sicknick & Jeffrey Smith, who "passed in January 2021." pic.twitter.com/eHuQ0xBsqH
— Melanie Zanona (@MZanona) March 17, 2021
Gohmert’s bill adds to efforts by Trump loyalists to downplay the then-President’s incitement of the mob that breached the Capitol earlier this year.
Politico reported earlier Wednesday that some members of the House Freedom Caucus, of which Gohmert is a part, are weighing voting against the resolution that Democrats put forward honoring Capitol Police, due to the bill referring to the Capitol as “the temple of our American Democracy” and explicitly calling out the “mob of insurrectionists.”
Congressional Republicans voted along party lines to acquit Trump during the former president’s second impeachment trial for “incitement of insurrection.”
Several congressional Republicans have made clear that Trump’s influence on the GOP is here to stay, with Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) and House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) walking back their initial condemnations of Trump’s failure to urge his supporters to halt the Capitol attack on the day of the joint session of Congress ratifying Joe Biden’s electoral victory.
Trump has continued his crusade against the handful of Republicans who voted in favor of his impeachment. After affirming his loyalty to the GOP during a speech at CPAC last month, the former president implored his supporters to “get rid” of all the Republicans who dared to buck him.
