Mr. Biden will deliver remarks and present the awards to Thompson, Cheney and more than a dozen other recipients during a ceremony at the White House later Thursday.
"The Presidential Citizens Medal is awarded to citizens of the United States of America who have performed exemplary deeds of service for their country or their fellow citizens. President Biden believes these Americans are bonded by their common decency and commitment to serving others. The country is better because of their dedication and sacrifice," the White House said in announcing those honored.
Its work concluded in December 2022 after an investigation that spanned 18 months. The committee voted to refer President-elect Donald Trump and conservative lawyer John Eastman for criminal prosecution because of their alleged efforts to subvert the peaceful transfer of presidential power on Jan. 6.
Congress or the President of the USA bestows twenty-four other honors. The most prestigious, however, are the Congressional Award, Congressional Gold medal, the Medal of Honor, and the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
The latter medal is usually considered the highest civilian award available and is bestowed by the President at his or her (heretofore, his) discretion.
Cheney and Thompson are being properly lauded for their role in investigating the insurrection of January 6, 2021. How many lives of members of Congress, therefore, was it necessary.for Lt. Michael S. Byrd to save to be honored? Ashli Babbit's violent and lawless behavior led a mob of people to gain "access to "a hallway outside 'Speaker's Lobby,' which leads to the Chamber of the U.S. House of Representatives."
Thus far, his courageous decision to shoot Babbitt has brought only the invevitable death threats from Trump supporters and from the Babbitt family a wrongful death lawsuit, due to be heard in January, 202., During an interview with NBC's Lester Holt in August of that year, Byrd
discussed in detail the moments leading up to when he fired at Babbitt, telling Holt: “I tried to wait as long as I could.”
He said he “hoped and prayed” that nobody would try to enter the doors he was guarding, but their “failure to comply required” him to “take the appropriate action to save the lives of members of Congress and myself and my fellow officers.”
Byrd at one point during the riots was inside the House chamber, where a number of lawmakers were seeking cover. He told Holt that he gave one critical instruction to the members on the floor: to remove their congressional pins so they would blend in.
“One of the things that was imperative was to inform the members to remove their pins to allow them to blend in,” Byrd said. “To remove their jackets, to look like staff as much as possible.”
Byrd soon after rushed out of the chamber and, along with a few other officers, created a makeshift barricade with furniture. He said it was at that point, when “the chants got louder,” that he knew the mob was approaching.
“At that point is when I realized they’re here,” Byrd said. “The chants got louder. I couldn’t make out what they were saying, but it sounded like hundreds of people outside of that door.”
Lt. Byrd may fear for his life. For all we know, President Biden may already have offered him an award or a medal for saving the lives of many lawmakers, and perhaps saving our representative democracy on that day almost exactly four years go. If the outgoing President has not done so, he should, and couple it with a powerful statement supporting our system of government, intolerance for violent crime, and the value of human life.
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