Hellfire and Excrement: Michael Fanone vs. the Pardoned Hordes of January 6th
There’s a special kind of madness in America these days—a high-octane, batshit insanity powered by MAGA hats, grievance, and cheap vodka. And at the epicenter of this lunacy, like a lightning rod attracting the worst our country has to offer, stands Michael Fanone, the former cop who dared to call Donald Trump an authoritarian to his face. For his trouble, Fanone was beaten nearly to death with a flagpole on January 6, 2021, only to watch as Trump’s cultists were welcomed back into polite society with open arms, presidential pardons, and the smug satisfaction of knowing their crimes had been wiped clean by the stroke of a pen.
This is no ordinary story of political dysfunction. No, this is an obscene carnival of cowardice, starring a former president who should be pacing around a cell but instead plays golf and whines on Truth Social. The aftermath of January 6th has turned into a grotesque sitcom with a laugh track straight out of hell. And Fanone? He’s the guy left holding the flaming bag of shit—literally.
The Mother of All Harassment
Before we get to the pardons, let’s talk about Fanone’s mom. A 78-year-old woman minding her own business in Virginia became the target of a campaign of terror so vile it would make your stomach turn. First, some jackass decided to swat her house. For those unfamiliar, swatting is when some anonymous coward calls the cops and pretends there’s an active shooter, sending armed officers to storm the home of some unsuspecting victim. In this case, the victim was an elderly woman whose only crime was giving birth to a man who helped fight off a mob of Trump’s supporters.
But the lunatics weren’t done. Someone else threw a brick at the window of her home. Then, while she was raking leaves in her front yard, another gutless wonder drove by and chucked a bag of excrement at her. A bag of excrement. Let that sink in. Somewhere out there, a person woke up one morning, decided to take a dump, put it in a bag, and hurl it at an old lady. If there’s a clearer metaphor for the state of Trumpism, I’ve yet to see it.
The Pardons That Burned It All Down
But the real obscenity, the pièce de résistance of this farce, is Trump’s pardons. One by one, the cretins who beat Fanone and other officers senseless were granted get-out-of-jail-free cards, courtesy of the man who incited the riot in the first place. You’d think the assault of a police officer would be a red line even for Trump’s base, but no—these people weren’t just forgiven; they were celebrated. Heroes of the “patriot” movement. Martyrs to the cause of Make America Great Again.
Legally, those pardons mean Fanone and the other officers are no longer considered victims of crimes committed on January 6th. Think about that. The man was dragged into a mob, beaten unconscious, and suffered a heart attack while defending democracy—and now, thanks to Trump, the perpetrators’ crimes technically never happened. As if the blood spilled that day could just be swept under the rug like some embarrassing accident at a Fourth of July barbecue.
No Justice, No Protection
Fanone can’t even get a restraining order against the people who assaulted him. Why? Because under the law, they’re no longer criminals. A restraining order requires evidence of ongoing harassment or threats, and thanks to Trump’s golden ticket of clemency, these goons can walk around with their heads held high, free to harass, intimidate, or worse, without any consequence.
Oh, and if Fanone wanted to file a restraining order, he’d need their addresses, which are conveniently protected. So he’s stuck in a Kafkaesque nightmare where the system that should protect him has been gutted, leaving him exposed to the whims of the very people who tried to kill him.
Trump’s America: A Carnival of Cruelty
The real tragedy here isn’t just what happened to Fanone or his mother. It’s what the pardons signify: the triumph of cruelty as a political weapon. Trump has turned victimhood into a brand and grievance into a business model. His pardons are less about mercy and more about sticking it to his enemies. By erasing the crimes of January 6th, he sends a message: “If you’re loyal to me, you can do whatever the hell you want.”
The consequences of this are staggering. It’s not just about Fanone or the other officers who were attacked—it’s about the collapse of accountability. We’re living in a country where the law bends to the whims of a man who treats the presidency like his personal revenge fantasy.
The Bottom Line
Michael Fanone is a hero, but he’s also a man fighting a losing battle against a system that has failed him at every turn. His mother, an innocent bystander, has been dragged into the fray, humiliated and harassed by people too cowardly to face him directly. And the man who made all this possible is golfing in Florida, grinning like a Cheshire cat while his pardoned goons roam free.
This isn’t just a story about political dysfunction. It’s a goddamn horror show—a cautionary tale about what happens when cruelty and cowardice become virtues, and the people who stand up for what’s right are left to fend for themselves in a country that’s lost its soul.
The insurrectionists were set loose in communities where they are known. People need to dox them. It’s time to make their lives a living hell.
And police need to know that trump plans to use these people against them. I was going to add “if they haven’t figure it out by now” but apparently, they haven’t.
I think this article is so beautifully written and explains Trump so perfectly-he cares only about loyalty to him. Trump doesn't care about the law or any of us, just himself. I hope the courts will stop him. He is out to destroy America because he hates all of us.