UPDATE (January 22, 2024, 3:12 p.m. ET): Whereas the Fraternal Order of Police initially didn’t touch upon the Jan. 6 pardons, the group did in the end launch a important assertion, alongside the Worldwide Affiliation of Chiefs of Police.
Like many convicted felons, Donald Trump has a tough relationship with legislation enforcement. On one hand, the president likes to at the least faux to be carefully allied with the police. Certainly, the day after his second inauguration, the Republican advised reporters, “I’m the pal of police.”
Then again, Trump has additionally spent years railing towards “soiled cops,” whereas condemning legislation enforcement officers he dislikes as, amongst different issues, “fascists.” He has even expressed assist for prosecuting members of the Capitol Police, even if they did nothing unsuitable.
However Trump’s relationship with legislation enforcement took an unsightly flip for the more severe when he issued roughly 1,500 pardons and commuted the sentences of 14 Jan. 6 criminals — together with violent felons who have been in jail for assaulting cops.
Some within the legislation enforcement neighborhood, together with present and former prosecutors, have been understandably appalled by Trump’s resolution. As The New York Instances reported, loads of cops — most notably those that served on the Capitol on Jan. 6 — felt the identical approach.
Greater than 150 cops from the 2 companies have been injured throughout the assault on the Capitol by a pro-Trump mob 4 years in the past. Some have been hit within the head with baseball bats, flagpoles and pipes. One misplaced consciousness after rioters used a metallic barrier to push her down as they marched to the constructing. Now lots of these officers described themselves as struggling and depressed in response to Mr. Trump liberating their attackers.
Aquilino Gonell, a former Capitol Police sergeant, advised the Instances, “It’s a miscarriage of justice, a betrayal, a mockery, and a desecration of the women and men that risked their lives defending our democracy.” Harry Dunn, who additionally protected the Capitol on Jan. 6, added, “All people’s offended and unhappy and devastated.”
For some officers, the considerations go nicely past mere disappointment with the presidential abuse. Mike Fanone, a former police officer within the nation’s capital who was violently attacked on Jan. 6, went to an area courthouse the day after Trump’s pardons to hunt protecting orders towards the 5 males who pleaded responsible to violently assaulting him throughout the pro-Trump riot.
As for the Fraternal Order of Police, which endorsed the GOP ticket within the November election, the legislation enforcement group was requested for its response to Trump releasing a whole lot of violent felons who assaulted cops. “We don’t have a press release about that,” the group initially stated after the pardons have been issued.
Among the many president’s political allies, that’s an annoyingly acquainted response.
