On Tuesday, the House Select Committee investigating the January 6 Capitol Riots held its first hearing, where Capitol and D.C. Metro police officers delivered harrowing testimony on their experiences defending the Capitol from a mob of pro-Trump extremists.
The officers described being overtaken by the mob, with rioters forcibly taking their weapons, beating them, and inundating them with racial slurs and shouts of "Traitors!"
The officers blamed former President Donald Trump for sparking the calamity that day—the culmination of his months-long smear campaign against the validity of the 2020 election.
They also described the continued physical and mental toll the terror of the riots has imposed on Capitol and D.C. police officers at the Capitol that day, who described brain injuries, lacerations, and symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder.
The conservative Fox News network, which currently faces multiple lawsuits for amplifying the same lies that led Trump supporters to storm the Capitol, was predictably indignant at the testimony.
Right-wing Fox host Tammy Bruce had a stunning characterization for the hearing.
Watch below.
Tammy Bruce of Fox News characterizes Capitol and DC officers testifying today about getting physically assaulted a… https://t.co/KEsGXbNJRv— Aaron Rupar (@Aaron Rupar) 1627427905.0
Bruce said in an interview with Republican Senator John Kennedy of Louisiana:
"Clearly today was an assault on 75 million Americans, I think it was meant to be."
Bruce went on to absurdly claim that Trump's supporters make up half of the American population, and that an investigation into the Capitol Riots is somehow anti-democratic.
People weren't buying Bruce's partisan delusions.
The most fickle, weak and brittle spirits. They're always the victim. When will we stop coddling white rage? https://t.co/mLs6pL7nfJ— Wajahat Ali (@Wajahat Ali) 1627427995.0
If @heytammybruce wants to insist that every single Trump voter supported the assault on the Capitol, I guess that’… https://t.co/zOBiiUE4jq— Kevin M. Kruse (@Kevin M. Kruse) 1627429885.0
It’s all just an authoritarian propaganda show, if you watched it in a movie you’d think it was laughable dystopian… https://t.co/9eRuXxlzcm— Jesse Lee (@Jesse Lee) 1627439692.0
Imagine seeing those officers testifying today...and having this mindset after... https://t.co/zWxhiZM46f— David Johnson (@David Johnson) 1627428171.0
The insurrection was an assault on 81 million Biden voters. https://t.co/3ILzhj6L8n— Roger Strassburg (@Roger Strassburg) 1627430807.0
You see, we are supposed to be quiet while the insurrectionists fight, and thank them for not fighting more. “See… https://t.co/eLxfpl80gn— Sandy Hilton (@Sandy Hilton) 1627428178.0
They were exhausted by the mental gymnastics.
Spun like a true believer… https://t.co/OXsCH58XGe— StuporDave (@StuporDave) 1627434051.0
If there were an Olympic competition for mental gymnastics... https://t.co/kIN3OfLfHU— Sean O'Neill (@Sean O'Neill) 1627429259.0
If there were an Olympic competition for mental gymnastics... https://t.co/kIN3OfLfHU— Sean O'Neill (@Sean O'Neill) 1627429259.0
Bruce hasn't addressed the controversy.