Rep. Kevin McCarthy’s Staff Hung Up on Capitol Police Officer Calling About Jan. 6, Rep. Eric Swalwell Says
McCarthy’s communications director denied his staff had given Michael Fanone the cold shoulder.

Mark Wilson/Getty
A Capitol Police officer who has spoken publicly about his experience during the Jan. 6 Capitol riot was given the cold shoulder by the leader of House Republicans when the policeman called to talk about the attempted insurrection, according to another member of Congress. Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA) took to Twitter on Wednesday to upbraid House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA). “I just spoke with a very upset Officer Michael Fanone… Fanone has made multiple requests to talk to @GOPLeader. He wants to show McCarthy what he experienced on 1/6. Today he was hung up on by McCarthy’s staff,” Swalwell wrote. McCarthy’s communications director, Michele Perez Exner, denied the accusation, calling it “not true” and asserting that Fanone had spoken with the Republican’s staff, to which Swalwell said, “Officer Fanone told me he was hung up on. Are you calling him a liar?”
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