Mother of Fallen Capitol Riot Officer Refuses to Shake McConnell's Hand

The mother of a fallen Capitol police officer refused to shake the hands of two Republican lawmakers during Tuesday's Congressional Gold Medal ceremony honoring the officers who defended the U.S Capitol during the January 6 riot.

Gladys Sicknick, the mother of Brian Sicknick, a U.S. Capitol police officer who died of a stroke following the riot, wouldn't accept a handshake offered by Senator Mitch McConnell and Representative Kevin McCarthy.

Last year, Sicknick urged Congress to approve a commission to investigate the riot, asking them to visit her son's grave before making their final decision. Sicknick criticized certain Republicans' actions after several lawmakers expressed opposition to the committee, including McConnell.

In the video from Tuesday's awards, Sicknick is seen shaking hands with Democratic Senator Chuck Schumer and receiving a kiss on the cheek from him before bypassing McConnell and McCarthy, who were both holding plaques.

When CBS News reporter Ellis Kim asked McCarthy about Sicknick "potentially snubbing him," he referred to the plaque.

Later, Sicknick told Kim she did, in fact, snub the two representatives.

"Because they're two-faced...they have no problem getting on a plane, going down to Mar-a-Lago and kiss (Trump's) ring after they did this. That's how I feel," Sicknick said.

Sicknick previously criticized former President Donald Trump for not stopping the January 6 attack on the Capitol. Later, she also placed blame on those repeating Trump's false claims that the 2020 election was stolen from him, such as Kari Lake, an Arizona Republican who recently lost a bid for governor.

Sicknick appeared in an ad for the Republican Accountability Project PAC in November, in which she said that "my son died because of people like Kari Lake."

A medical examiner ruled that Sicknick died of natural causes but said "all that transpired played a role in his condition", according to CBS News.

Following the Capitol riot, McCarthy visited Trump's home at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida. McConnell, a former Trump supporter, is no longer on the best terms with the former president and is often subject to Trump's criticism. He hasn't announced yet if he will back Trump's 2024 presidential bid.

In the video, Sicknick is not the only person refusing to shake hands with the Republican lawmakers. Other representatives of those receiving the awards also bypassed McConnell and McCarthy.

The video of the interaction was posted late Tuesday morning and has nearly 300,000 views.

Five people, including Brian Sicknick, died during the riot or afterward as a result of their injuries. Four other Capitol police officers died by apparent suicide after the attack.

The Congressional Gold Medal is the highest award from the United States Congress. It expresses the Congress's national appreciation for distinguished achievements and contributions by individuals or an institution.

Update 12/06/22 4:06 p.m.: This article was updated with context.