Jan. 6 police hero becomes go-to witness for Democrats in Congress to counter Trump
Source: CBS News
Updated on: December 14, 2025 / 9:55 PM EST
Daniel Hodges thinks of himself as an introvert — he's soft-spoken and says he's averse to the spotlight. At night, he's a local police officer in Washington, D.C. But during his off-duty hours this year, Hodges has become a unique and very public advocate on Capitol Hill. He told CBS News he's trying to be a firewall to block the whitewashing of the history of the Jan. 6, 2021 U.S. Capitol siege. "The only thing that will stop me is if people stop lying about Jan. 6 and just acknowledge what the day was and what really transpired," Hodges said.
He was among the more than 140 police officers injured while trying to stop the U.S. Capitol insurrection. With Republicans now in control of the White House and Congress and some in the party downplaying the severity of the Capitol siege, there are limited platforms for victims of the attack to talk about its impact on their lives. Hodges has become a go-to witness for Democrats in congressional hearings about police safety.
The mission generates some stress and conflict for Hodges. At an October subcommittee hearing in the Senate, Hodges watched as three of his fellow witnesses raised their hands, when asked if they supported President Trump's pardons of the Jan. 6 attackers, including those who had beaten Hodges. One of the witnesses who raised his hand was a former homeland security secretary during President Trump's first administration.
As the minority in the House and the Senate, Democrats are permitted to call one witness at most hearings, to serve as a "minority party" witness who provides a counterpoint to the witnesses called by the majority. Twice this autumn, Democrats have called on Hodges.
Read more: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/jan-6-police-hero-democrats-witness-trump/