WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina) today made this statement following a meeting with fallen Capitol Police Officer Brian Sicknick’s mother Gladys Sicknick, his girlfriend Sandra Garza, Capitol Police Officer Harry Dunn, and DC Metropolitan Police Officer Mike Fanone about the January 6^th attack on the United States Capitol.

“I had a very productive and emotional meeting with Officer Sicknick’s mother Gladys, his girlfriend Sandra, Officer Harry Dunn from the Capitol Police, and Officer Mike Fanone from the Metropolitan Police about the January 6^th attack on our Capitol.

“I oppose the House-passed bill as I believe the Commission approach will turn into a partisan food fight. The December deadline for the Commission to finish its work speaks more to political calculations than fact-finding. 

“As for where were currently stand on investigations: 

• “The Department of Justice (DOJ) continues to investigate January 6^th including actions taken before, during, and after the Capitol riot. DOJ has already charged more than 400 people with crimes and offenses. The Attorney General has said DOJ’s investigation of January 6^th is not yet complete, and they may make additional arrests.

• “The House of Representatives passed Articles of Impeachment solely related to January 6^th. The Senate held a trial on the House-passed Articles where the words, actions, and deeds of former President Trump on January 6^th were the main focus. 

• “Finally, Senate committees are already conducting their own bipartisan investigations.

“I told those in attendance at today’s meeting I am committed to making sure the story of January 6^th is fully and completely told. In my view, this would require the two police officers at today’s meeting, Officer Fanone and Officer Dunn, to have their testimony memorialized for the public and to hear from as many other officers as possible as to what it was like that day. Further, we should establish a system that will hold people who were in charge of security at the Capitol on January 6^th accountable.

“I will be reaching out to my Senate colleagues, Senators Blunt and Klobuchar, who are in charge of the Senate Rules Committee investigation. I have great confidence in both. It is my understanding that several officers have already talked to the Rules Committee, but I will suggest that the testimony of the two officers and others be captured to dispel any notion that what happened on January 6^th was anything other than a violent, vicious attack on the Capitol.

“Those officers were there to protect us all. There is no reason the Senate cannot get to the truth through the existing investigations. The American people, the officers who protected the Capitol on January 6^th, and their families, deserve it.”

#####