Genesee County Sheriff Chris Swanson criticizes Trump for January 6 in Biden ad
Washington – In a new Biden campaign television ad, Genesee County Sheriff Chris Swanson accuses former President Donald Trump of failing to intervene to stop his supporters from attacking police officers during the riots at the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021.
“This should have been stopped. This is a dereliction of duty. As a sheriff, it is horrible to watch police officers being attacked. This is not support for this badge and this uniform,” Swanson says in the ad, pointing to his dress uniform with the black collar.
“I have no desire to work with anyone who divides. That’s not America. But I will work with anyone who unites. That’s why I stand behind President Joe Biden.”
The 30-second spot aired on CNN at 9 p.m. on Wednesday, one day before the highly anticipated first debate between Trump and President Joe Biden in Atlanta. The spot is running in television markets in eight swing states as part of a $50 million campaign buy for the month of June.
In Michigan, the series will run nationally on radio, cable television and digital platforms, the Biden team said.
A representative for Trump’s campaign in Michigan did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Wednesday. The former Republican president has made the Capitol attack a central theme of his campaign, praising the rioters and lamenting the treatment of the “January 6 hostages” and suggesting he would pardon them on his first day back.
The ad begins with a video clip from the body-worn camera of a police officer being attacked by a rioter outside the Capitol. The audio of Trump’s January 6 speech can be heard in the background: “Fight with all your might. And if you don’t fight with all your might, you’re not going to have a country anymore.”
The ad also includes clips of other police officers being mobbed on the Capitol steps, being pelted with bike racks, and an officer in riot gear screaming for help as he is forced between doors to a Capitol tunnel entrance where rioters and police clashed for hours on Jan. 6.
More: Former Capitol security officers surprised by military attack on January 6
The violent attack on January 6 was sparked by former President Trump’s unproven claims that the 2020 election was rigged. That day, hundreds of Trump supporters broke into the Capitol, ransacked offices and skirmished with police to prevent lawmakers from certifying Biden’s victory.
The riot didn’t end that day until Trump released a video telling his supporters, “Go home. We love you. You are very special.” Special Counsel Jack Smith has charged Trump with trying to overturn the 2020 election.
More than 140 police officers reported injuries from the attack. One officer probably lost his eye, another was stabbed with a metal pole and one suffered a heart attack after being repeatedly attacked with a stun gun, according to a report from the Senate Homeland Security Committee. Seven people ultimately died, some of apparently natural causes, and two officers committed suicide days after the siege.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, more than 1,450 people have been charged with crimes related to the Capitol breach in nearly 50 states. More than 500 of them face charges of assault or obstruction of law enforcement, a serious crime.
More: Several Republicans in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives booed officials who defended the Capitol on January 6
More: Is Trump immune from criminal charges as ex-president? A nation awaits the Supreme Court’s decision
Swanson, a Democrat, said he remembers listening to Trump’s speech on Jan. 6 and then watching in horror a short time later as police overran the security lines surrounding the Capitol, comparing it to people storming a stadium.
“I listened to the speech and it was as if everyone was expecting something bad to happen,” he recalls.
“When it fell over, I saw people climbing over the walls and breaking windows. For example, I toured the Capitol with my boys in eighth grade. … When it fell over, there was no chance. There was no turning back. I was devastated. I can’t believe this is happening. I think that day will unfortunately live on as a scar on our nation.”
Swanson said this will not be the last Biden campaign commercial featuring footage of him.
A team followed Swanson for three days in May and questioned him about, among other things, his decision in May 2020 to remove his riot gear and walk with demonstrators in Flint who protested after the death of George Floyd, he said.
Swanson has indicated he is interested in running for governor in 2026. He is up for re-election this year after serving as sheriff of Genesee County for the past five years.
Woman takes love at first sight to a new level when she falls in love with her husband from a phone booth
Taco Bell’s brand new Value Meal offers a lot of food for $7
Oklahoma girl meets Taylor Swift and wins hat with “22” inscription at concert in Scotland
About The Author
