Fox News’ Laura Ingraham is facing condemnation on social media after she blamed Capitol Police officers for not being able to fend off the violent attack on the US Capitol by a mob of Trump supporters on January 6.
After railing against Dr. Anthony Fauci on her show Wednesday night, Ingraham went on to discredit the heroic officers, accusing them of not doing their jobs properly after they were attacked by MAGA rioters.
“Despite the crowds they had known for weeks would show up at the Capitol on 6 January, the Capitol police couldn’t hold the Capital perimeter on that day. That in itself is a scandal. Instead of examining why that happened, they turned to blaming President Trump, who they all obviously despise,” she said on “The Ingraham Angle”.
Ingraham’s comments came after she did an award show skit, “The Angle Awards for today’s best performances”, mocking police officer testimonies alongside footage of Tuesday’s 6 January committee hearing.
“The best performance in an action role the winner is Michael Fanone,” said Ingraham who also gave an award for the best use of exaggeration in a supporting role “the winner is Aquilino Gonell”.
Officers Michael Fanone, Aquilino Gonell, Harry Dunn and Daniel Hodges accounted in front of the committee their disturbing experiences during the capitol riots, which included racial abuse, assaults, and fearing for their lives.
Fanone explained how he had been electrocuted and suffered a heart attack, concussion and brain injury after he was attacked by insurgents during the riot.
“As I was swarmed by a violent mob, they ripped off my badge, they grabbed and stripped me of my radio, they seized ammunition that was secured to my body, they began to beat me with their fists and with what felt like hard metal objects,” Fanone said.
“At one point I came face to face with an attacker who repeatedly lunged for me and attempted to remove my firearm. I heard chanting from some of the crowd: ‘get his gun and kill him with his own gun’. I was electrocuted again and again and again with a taser. At the hospital doctor told me I suffered a heart attack, I was later diagnosed with a concussion, a traumatic brain injury and post-traumatic stress disorder.”
Officer Dunn’s abuse was racially motivated: “I told him to just leave the Capitol, and in response the yell ‘no man, this is our house, President Trump invited us here, we’re here to stop the steal’,” Dunn recalled during his testimony. “I responded ‘I voted for Joe Biden, does my vote not count? Am I nobody?’ That prompted a torrent of racial epithets, one woman in a pink MAGA shirt yelled ‘you hear that guys, this ni**er voted for Joe Biden’. Then the crowd, perhaps about 20 people, joined in screaming ‘booo f***ing ni**er’.”
Fanone appeared on CNN to condemn the rhetoric coming from Fox News, and suggested it could create a climate in which the insurrection could occur.
“What does concern me is the fact that you know, those entertainers have an audience, and that audience takes their words and, you know, the rhetoric that they use as more than just entertainment,” he said. “They think it’s real…
“That thought process has real-life consequences,” he said. “And we saw the result of that on 6 January.”
Watch the video of ingraham’s comments and some of the reactions below.
Ingraham: Fauci has no one to blame but himself. Ditto for the Capitol police who testified on Wednesday. pic.twitter.com/u7my1xiDgA
— Acyn (@Acyn) July 29, 2021
How is she allowed on air?? I don’t get it.
— Chatty Woman ⚽️😷 ☮️☯️ (@ChattyWomanUK) July 29, 2021
Don’t blame the arsonist that burnt your house down, blame the damn firefighters that didn’t put it out
— TWalsh (@hogan_1969) July 29, 2021
This creature knows no shame.
It has no bottom.
This creature claims to be the “mother” of other humans.
No mother talks like this.
No mother would mock the pain & suffering of those who put their lives in danger to save others.
This… thing… is vile.
It’s pure evil.
Period.
— Jo (@JoJoFromJerz) July 29, 2021
From Back The Blue to leave em Black And Blue all in one night. Good job, Laura. Good Job.
— Michael E. (@MnMike55408) July 29, 2021
How does this woman sleep @ night?
— fairydogmom🐾💙😷🐝WASH YO HANDS🖐😷 (@fairydogmom12) July 29, 2021
There is nothing I could honestly say about this….person that wouldn't get me kicked off. Really? We let this be broadcasted on our airwaves for the first amendment? This is hate speech. Consider.
— vicki law (@olivclaw) July 29, 2021
How can any reasonably educated person watch Fox news? The station has crossed over to the absurd.
— Marilyn Kenyon, Psy.D. (@MarilynKenyon) July 29, 2021
Attacking science and police in the same segment…
— Michael (@ideaobsessive) July 29, 2021
Could she be any more disgusting and disrespectful? 🤨
— Roberta 🌴🏄🏽♀️ (@RobertaByTheSea) July 29, 2021