Jen Psaki Makes False Claim About Capitol Riots and the Gaslighting Needs to Stop

For all the bloviating and posturing from Democrats and the mainstream media about how Republicans are supposedly revising the history of the Capitol riots, very few of these same people hold themselves to the standards they demand of their political opposition when either reporting on or discussing what happened that day.

One falsehood, in particular, has persisted, and that is the one where rioters are accused of “murdering” multiple Capitol Police officers. 

Here we are a month later, and the claim that multiple officers were killed at the riots is still being floated, this time by White House press secretary Jen Psaki.

Her remarks came during yesterday’s press briefing when she was asked by a reporter about a letter Capitol Police officer Michael Fanone reportedly sent to the White House asking for public acknowledgment of the trauma officers suffered that day and since. Here’s how the exchange went down (bolded emphasis added):

Reporter: “About 15 days ago, I think, Michael Fanone — who is a D.C. Metropolitan Police Officer who was there on January the 6th — was beaten, tased; they stole his badge; you know, suffered a lot of trauma — he says that he still is living through it — he says he sent you a letter about 15 days ago talking about the emotional anxiety that he still struggles with on a daily basis. And saying it’s “time to fully recognize” the actions of the officers on that day. So I was just wondering if the White House has a response to him.”

Jen Psaki: “I’m happy to check on the status of the letter. Obviously, the President’s view is that there are a number of officers who lost their lives, paid a tremendous sacrifice for — on a day that will be a stain on our democracy for many years to come. And certainly, many who survived — this will be a long-lasting trauma. I’d have to check on the letter and the status of that.”

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It’s simply not true is that any police officer was killed or died that day. As noted above, Sicknick “suffered two strokes and died of natural causes” the day after the attack per the chief medical examiner. Two other officers, Metro Police officer Jeffrey Smith and Capitol Police officer Howard Liebengood suspiciously died by suicide in the days after the riots.

The only person killed that day was unarmed Trump supporter Ashli Babbitt, who was shot by an as yet unidentified man when she attempted to gain entry through a broken window. The DOJ closed that case last month, announcing they will not pursue criminal charges against the unnamed assailant.