Lawyers representing Harry Dunn, a Black Capitol Police officer who fought off Trump-supporting insurrectionists on Jan. 6, have responded after Fox News host Tucker Carlson called him an “angry, left-wing political activist.”
On Wednesday (July 21), Carlson attacked Officer Dunn on his Fox News segment. Dunn is set to testify next Tuesday (July 27) before the House of Representatives committee that will investigate the Capitol riot.
“Dunn will pretend to speak for the country’s law enforcement community, but it turns out Dunn has very little in common with your average cop. Dunn is an angry, left-wing political activist,” Carlson said before linking the cop to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
On Twitter, Dunn’s legal team shared a lengthy statement in response.
“Tonight Fox News allowed its host Tucker Carlson, who has not served a day in uniform, whether military or law enforcement, to criticize the heroism and service of African-American U.S. Capitol Police Officer Harry Dunn,” attorneys David H. Laufman and Mark S. Zaid wrote.
“Our client has served 13 years in law enforcement and on January 6, 2021, fought against an insurrectionist violent crowd — no doubt many of them Carlson’s supporters — to protect the lives of our elected officials, including Vice President Pence,” they continued.
The statement added that Dunn would “lay down his life to protect a Member of Congress, regardless of being a Republican or Democrat” and said he will still testify next week before the House committee.
“Frankly, the last thing Carlson wants is for the truth to emerge of what happened that day and why,” they concluded.
In April, Dunn told “The ReidOut” host Joy Reid that he and other Black Capitol Police officers faced racist, as well as physical and verbal, abuse on the day of the riot. So far, over 500 people have been criminally charged for participating in the attack. Earlier this week, one rioter was sentenced to eight months in prison.
See Carlson’s comments and Dunn’s lawyers’ response below.