\n As Republican Rep. Troy Nehls attempted to place blame for the January 6, 2021, riot on Capitol Police officials and not on President Donald Trump, former Washington, DC, police officer Michael Fanone \u2014 who was severely beaten by protestors that day \u2014 interrupted with a cough and a quick message.\n <\/p>\n
\n The incident occurred during a Thursday hearing where Jack Smith, the former special prosecutor who led two failed prosecutions against Trump, publicly testified<\/a> before the House Judiciary Committee.\n <\/p>\n \n \u201cI can tell you gentlemen, that the fault does not lie with Donald Trump,\u201d Nehls, of Texas, said, addressing several law enforcement officers attending the hearing who responded to the riot that day.\n <\/p>\n \n Nehls said the fault of the attack lies with \u201cthe US Capitol leadership team.\u201d\n <\/p>\n \n \u201cWe know they had the intelligence,\u201d Nehls said before Fanone, after a loud cough, interrupted.\n <\/p>\n \n \u201cF**k yourself,\u201d Fanone, who was dragged out and beaten in a crowd of rioters during one of the most violent clashes that day, said loudly.\n <\/p>\n \n Nehls concluded: \u201cThere was going to be a high propensity for violence that day.\u201d\n <\/p>\n \n Fanone sat in the audience during the hearing with three other officers deployed at the Capitol that day, Aquilino Gonell<\/a>, Harry Dunn<\/a>, and Daniel Hodges<\/a>, each of whom have become Trump critics since the insurrection.\n <\/p>\n \n Smith, in his first public appearance before lawmakers, said he was \u201cshocked\u201d when he saw the attack on the Capitol.\n <\/p>\n