On #Jan6th anniversary, Biden honors 12 with the Presidential Citizens Medal
To mark the moment, President Joe Biden is presenting the first Presidential Citizens Medals of his administration at noon (EDT). The 12 people being honored played important roles in the election (five) and on January 6th (seven).
Because of the efforts of people like these five election officials, American voters had their ballots processed.
- Al Schmidt was the Philadelphia County Board of Elections city commissioner who ensured every vote was counted “even as pro-Trump figures pressured him to overturn the results.” In 2016, the Philadelphia processed 14,915 absentee ballots; in 2020, there were 374,373.
- Michigan secretary of state Jocelyn Benson “faced enormous pressure — including from armed protesters outside her house — to overturn the election results.” She was re-elected in November.
- Georgia election workers Ruby Freeman and Shaye Moss, a mother-and-daughter team, were subjected to verbal attacks by then President Trump as well as his followers, including “his lawyer Rudolph W. Giuliani and the conspiracy website The Gateway Pundit.”
- Russell “Rusty” Bowers, then the Arizona Speaker of the House, whose “refusal to bend to pressure from Donald J. Trump and his allies led to harassment outside his home in which he was called a ‘pedophile’ and other epithets.”
In addition, President Biden is honoring exemplary service and courage on the day of the insurrection. These law enforcement officers ensured the safety of House and Senate staff and elected representatives.
- Aquilino Gonell, a Capitol Police sergeant who was injured during the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol
- Brian D. Sicknick was the Capitol Police officer who died a day after being injured while defending the Capitol.
- Caroline Edwards was the first law enforcement officer to be injured by rioters; she sustained a concussion.
- Daniel Hodges, another D.C. police officer who also suffered injuries during the attack
- Eugene Goodman diverted an mob from the Senate floor while senators were still evacuating, by enticing them to chase him on the stairs.
- Harry Dunn, who defended the building against the rioters and faced racial slurs and harassment, according to the White House
- Michael Fanone, a D.C. police officer who was injured while defending the Capitol. Three men “dragged [him] away from a police line” then assaulted him and stole his badge and radio.
President Richard Nixon created the Presidential Citizens Medal in 1969. It is the country’s highest civilian honor after the Presidential Medal of Freedom. It is given to people who have “performed exemplary deeds of service for their country or their fellow citizens.”
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