Earlier this month, Harry Dunn and Aquilino Gonell, two former Capitol Police officers who were present at the Capitol on January 6th, were invited to visit the House floor by Democratic House Speaker Joanna McClinton (D-Philadelphia).
McClinton planned to recognize the two officers for their service on Jan. 6, but the recognition was disrupted by several House Republicans, who jeered and heckled the two police officers.
The eight to ten hecklers turned their backs on the police officers, and one even called the two men “cowards.” The disruptive House Republicans constituted a small percentage of Pennsylvania House Republicans, yet their antics were portrayed by the media as opinions shared by all Pennsylvania Republicans.
Dunn and Gonell are not nonpartisan actors. Dunn ran unsuccessfully for Congress as a Democrat in Maryland earlier in 2024, and both have appeared at fundraisers with prominent Democrats.
House Republican Leader Bryan Cutler (R-Lancaster) applauded the two officers for their service and posed for a picture with Dunn and Gonell.
“The truth is, I support law enforcement. I spoke to the gentlemen about the job they performed,” Minority Leader told the press after the event. “And I think that when you look at it, I’m tired of the House speaker using the guest list and the legislative calendar for political purposes.”
