As the two men — both of whom were injured by rioters on Jan. 6 — were introduced, the House floor descended into chaos. According to Democratic lawmakers, several GOP lawmakers hissed and booed, with a number of Republicans walking out of the chamber in protest.
“I heard some hissing and I saw about eight to 10 of my Republican colleagues walk out angrily as they were announced as police officers from the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6,” state Rep. Arvind Venkat (D) said in a phone interview Thursday. “I was shocked and appalled,” he added. According to Venkat, the commotion lasted about five minutes. Fewer than 100 lawmakers, evenly divided between Republicans and Democrats, were present in the chamber before the chaotic scene unfolded, he said.
The Pennsylvania House has 203 members — 102 Democrats and 101 Republicans.
The Republicans’ loud rejection of the two officers in a key battleground state underscores how polarizing the legacy of the Jan. 6 insurrection has become between the parties, to the extent that supporting law enforcement officers who defended the Capitol from violent rioters is seen as politically contentious by some lawmakers.
Dunn and Gonell have also been vocal politically — both are touring Pennsylvania this week to campaign for President Biden’s reelection, including stops at Pittsburgh and Harrisburg. Earlier this year, Dunn launched an unsuccessful bid to be nominated as a Democrat for a Maryland seat in the U.S. House.
Senior Republicans who responded to requests for comment from The Washington Post did not comment directly on the walkout, but emphasized their support for law enforcement and accused Democratic lawmakers of politicizing the incident.
“I was on the House Floor yesterday and I personally spoke to both of the former officers at the Speaker’s rostrum. I and other members of our caucus also had their pictures taken with the former officers,” House Republican Leader Bryan Cutler said an emailed statement. He characterized the Democratic lawmakers as “antagonizing members and inviting division and discord for their political and campaign purposes.”
George Dunbar, the Republican caucus chair, said he “did not see who did what on the floor yesterday, but believe the actions by House Democrats were contrived for political purposes,” adding that he had greeted the two officers and had the “deepest respect” for Capitol police officers “as well as all law enforcement.”
Rep. Jordan A. Harris (D) argued that “regardless of the politics,” both officers deserve respect for putting their lives on the line on Jan. 6.
“Those two brave patriots stood up and protected our Capitol and democracy,” Harris said. “And for that they deserve our honor and respect.”
Harris noted that it’s not uncommon for lawmakers on both sides of the aisle to celebrate other Americans who’ve served the country. Earlier this week, he said, they recognized a National Guard veteran. The Capitol officers, he said, deserved to be greeted with the same respect.
“We talk about backing the blue, but people turned their backs on blue yesterday,” Harris said. “You talk about all the political stuff you want to talk about, [but] those men wore a uniform and wore a badge, and, on that day, they were in defense of our democracy and our United States Capitol. And for that, they deserve respect and honor.”
Rep. Mike Schlossberg (D), who was also present, said in an email on Wednesday that while “there were absolutely Republican members who did applaud and stand,” a “majority did not.”
“It was embarrassing and disgraceful,” added Schlossberg, the Democratic caucus chair. At one point, Schlossberg said, the booing and jeering grew so loud “that the Speaker had to raise her voice to be heard over the noise.”
In a statement shared with The Post, Speaker McClinton described the actions as “despicable.”
“These brave former law enforcement officers were disrespected by many Republican members who walked off the House floor, turned their backs and booed the officers. The GOP members’ shameful behavior was unbecoming of our institution for any guest, let alone two of the men responsible for defending our democracy during a dark day in our nation’s history.”
Schlossberg said the reaction of his Republican counterparts was somewhat ironic.
“These brave men were injured protecting elected officials in a government building, and my colleagues — elected officials working in a government building — had the audacity to show disrespect to men who protected people like themselves,” he said.
Dunn was pepper-sprayed and injured in hand-to-hand combat while defending the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6. He has since launched a PAC to support anti-Trump candidates. “This is about democracy versus dictatorship,” he said at a campaign stop in Pittsburgh on Tuesday, according to the Pennsylvania Capital-Star.
Gonell was battered during the Capitol riot, and both of his hands were injured as he blocked an attacker from swinging a PVC pipe at an officer who wasn’t wearing a helmet. After Tuesday’s walkout, the Iraq War veteran accused Pennsylvania House Republicans of having “abandoned the truth” and “sided with those who attacked us.”
Mariana Alfaro contributed to this story.
