Heated Exchange Erupts as Jan. 6 Hearing Reopens Deep Divisions Over Capitol Attack

Former Washington, D.C., police officer Michael Fanone openly challenged a Republican member defending former President Donald Trump at a congressional hearing on Thursday, reviving tensions over the January 6 Capitol incident.

In the hearing room’s front row, Fanone cried as Texas Rep. Troy Nehls argued that Trump should not be responsible for the 2021 Capitol violence. Nehls told the group Capitol security leadership and not the former president were responsible for that day’s events. His words targeted officers who had risked their lives defending the building.

During the hearing, Fanone gently but audibly told Nehls to “go f— yourself,” expressing his disgust. Lawmakers swiftly ordered order, and Nehls said that police were unprepared for the attack’s scale. The cameras showed Fanone shaking his head in disapproval.

The exchange showed the ongoing accountability debate for the January 6 unrest, which injured at least 170 police officers. Official records indicate four officers committed suicide. The assault gravely injured Fanone. Rioters sprayed him, Tased him, and beat him. He retired from police in 2021 after a heart attack and catastrophic brain injury.

Fanone attended the hearing to defend former special counsel Jack Smith’s decision to charge Trump in two cases linked to potential 2020 election meddling. Those cases dominate national politics and law.

Tensions persisted after the hearing. During a break, Fanone fought again with far-right activist and 2020 election denier Ivan Raiklin. Raiklin, a Trump supporter, argued with Fanone for a minute before police intervened.

As police separated the two men, Fanone accused Raiklin of threatening his family, including his children, and called him a traitor. Raiklin said he was professional all his interactions.

They showed how January 6 still evokes powerful emotions, especially among those directly affected by the violence. Members like Fanone saw the hearing as a political event and a bitter reminder of a day that changed their lives and livelihoods. The clash highlighted the national struggle to reconcile conflicting narratives about the attack and who is accountable.

Sources
U.S. House of Representatives
U.S. Department of Justice
U.S. Capitol Police