Following the attack on January 6, 2021, one of the most well-known and vocal individuals aspires to return to the US Capitol with a new title: Congressman.
Harry Dunn, a former US Capitol Police officer who was on duty on January 6 during the attack and later provided testimony before the House January 6 select committee, announced his candidacy for Maryland’s 3rd Congressional District to CNN.
Only a small number of police officers, like Dunn, have opened up about the brutality he and other law enforcement personnel encountered that day and the deep and long-lasting effects it had on them.
“It goes without saying that on January 6, I witnessed democracy being attacked firsthand,” Dunn said to CNN. “To say that our democracy as we know it could end after just one election is not hyperbole.”
Dunn, a 15-year veteran of the police, remained an officer with the Capitol Police until he resigned a few weeks ago, despite the trauma. He claims that the possibility of former President Donald Trump being reelected is one of the reasons he is running.
As a Capitol Police Officer, Dunn stated, “I think I’ve done everything I could to fight for justice, accountability, and the preservation of our democracy,” calling it a struggle for a democracy.
Dunn has also held Trump accountable for the uprising in the Capitol.
Dunn declared, “I want to fight back against him with everything I have.” “That gives me a seat at the table now as a congressman to hold him accountable.”
Dunn appeared before the January 6 committee in July 2021, along with DC Metropolitan Police Officer Michael Fanone, DC Metropolitan Police Officer Daniel Hodges, and Capitol Police Sgt. Aquilino Gonell, detailing the violent and unsettling sights he saw.
Dunn stated at the hearing that “Capitol Police officers and Metropolitan Police officers, MPD, were engaged in desperate hand-to-hand fighting with rioters across the west lawn.” “I saw the rioters using a variety of weapons, including metal bike racks that they had torn apart, flagpoles, and projectiles of all sizes, against the police.” As chemical irritants were sprayed in their faces, several people were shouting, blinded, and coughing.
Dunn has discussed the racist slurs he claims rioters hurled at him on January 6. He told The New York Times that around 20 people had called him derogatory names, and one woman had said, “This [slur] voted for Joe Biden!”
According to Dunn, “a lot of us Black officers fought a different battle than everybody else.” At that moment, I blurted out, “Is this America?,” and broke down in tears. My face is streaming with tears. Is this the United States of America?
Two years after the attack, on January 6, 2023, Dunn was granted the Presidential Citizens Medal and the Congressional Gold Medal in December 2022.
After Democratic Representative John Sarbanes declared in October of last year that he would not seek reelection, he first made suggestions that he may run for Congress. Dunn said on X, “I see there is going to be an open Congressional seat in Maryland,” accompanied with an emoji of staring eyes.
Dunn joins a crowded field of other Democratic hopefuls who are running for Sarbanes’ seat, including Maryland state senators, house delegates and others. The Democratic primary will be held on May 14.
If Dunn wins the seat, he would be the second member of Congress who has served as a Capitol Hill Police officer. The first eventually rose to become Senate majority leader.
“The late Harry Reid was a Capitol Police Officer,” said Dunn. “So, I guess I don’t mind being second to him.”