US Congress has approved Congressional Gold Medals for the United States Police officers over the January 6 Capitol riot.
Gatekeepers News reports that the final vote in the House on Tuesday was 406-21 which indicates that some (21 House Republicans) still did not agree on the facts of the Capitol Hill riot which claimed lives.
The number of House Republicans that voted against the bill almost doubled the first time the bill came to the House floor. In March the House had voted 413-12.
The only GOP member to vote no in March and change to yes on Tuesday was Republican Rep. Lance Gooden of Texas.
Both the House and the Senate had passed their own resolutions to bestow the medals, but the initial pieces of legislation varied.
The revised bills will now award three medals; one to the entire U.S Capitol Police force, and one to the Metropolitan Police Department, “so that the sacrifices of fallen officers and their families, and the contributions of other law enforcement agencies who answered the call of duty on January 6, 2021, can be recognized and honoured in a timely manner.”
The third will be put on display at the Smithsonian Institution, with a plaque that lists all the law enforcement agencies that protected and defended the Capitol.
Gatekeepers News gathered that the 21 Republicans who voted against the bill include: Lauren Boebert of Colorado, John Rose of Tennessee, Andy Harris of Maryland, Thomas Massie of Kentucky, Bob Good of Virginia, Louie Gohmert of Texas and Barry Moore of Alabama.
Others are; Ralph Norman of South Carolina, Matt Rosendale of Montana, Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, Chip Roy of Texas, Paul Gosar of Arizona, Andy Biggs of Arizona, Warren Davidson of Ohio, Scott Perry of Pennsylvania, Matt Gaetz of Florida, Greg Steube of Florida, Andrew Clyde of Georgia, Jody Hice of Georgia, Mary Miller of Illinois and Michael Cloud of Texas.
Gatekeepers News reports that Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia was asked why she voted against the Congressional Gold Medals, she stressed that she does not believe the legislation should refer to January 6 as an insurrection.
“I wouldn’t call it an insurrection,” Greene told reporters.
Greene also stated that she isn’t cool with the language of the bill that referred to the Capitol complex as “the temple of our American Democracy.”
“This is not a temple. That is for sure,” Greene said.
Also, Republican Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky said his vote against the legislation was because of the language of the bill, specifically the references to the Capitol as a temple and January 6 as an insurrection.
“There are pending cases or trials right now, indictments against people, and I think if we called it an insurrection, it could have a bearing on their case.
“If they just wanted to give the police recognition, they could have done it without trying to make it partisan,” he said.
Asked if he thought what happened on January 6 was an insurrection, he answered, “I think it was a mob but I don’t think it was an insurrection, no.”
He added: “They were protesting and I don’t approve of the way they protested, but it wasn’t an insurrection. My goodness. Can you imagine what a real insurrection would look like?”
A staunch critic of former President Donald Trump, Republican Rep. Adam Kinzinger slammed his 21 colleagues who voted against the legislation.
“How you can vote no to this is beyond me,” Kinzinger tweeted after the vote.
“Then again, denying an insurrection is as well. To the brave Capitol (and DC metro PD) thank you. To the 21: they will continue to defend your right to vote no anyway.”
Similarly, Republican Rep. Liz Cheney of Wyoming, who is also a frequent critic of Trump, specifically criticised Rep. Paul Gosar, saying: “On January 6, as the violent mob advanced on the House chamber, I was standing near @RepGosar and helped him open his gas mask. The Capitol Police led us to safety.
“It is disgusting and despicable to see Gosar lie about that day and smear the men and women who defended us,” tweeted Cheney, who was ousted from GOP leadership in April after she frequently refused Trump’s election lies.
