Sergeant Aquilino Gonell stood in the breach

Fascinating new interview with the inspiring former Capitol Police Sergeant injured on January 6th defending democracy

Some interviews take a while to come

This is one of those interviews I’ve been eager to have and with the chaos on Capitol Hill this week and the new Speaker of the House being one of the lead architects on the January 6th insanity it seemed like the perfect time. Sergeant Aquilino Gonell is an Army combat veteran and spent 17 years on the Capitol Police force before it all came crashing down in the desperate hours of the attack.

He has a new book coming out next week called ‘American Shield: The Immigrant Sergeant Who Defended Democracy’ with co-author Susan Shapiro that follows his inspiring life story from his childhood in the Dominican Republic through moving to New York, joining the Army, and his path as a Capitol Police officer through the events of January 6th. The story can be gutting at times but powerful and important to read.

Fred and Sergeant Gonell in Washington D.C.

I first met Aquilino in Washington D.C. and have been eagerly awaiting the release of the book. Then for the last three weeks the House of Representatives has been in a battle over who would be the craziest to take the reins. The Republicans settled on the man who helped orchestrate one of the main bogus legal arguments to reject the results of the election in Mike Johnson of Louisiana. So, I really wanted the perspective of a fellow veteran who was grievously injured in the fighting on the west side of the Capitol.

I was fortunate to get a read ahead copy of the book and its a very tough read at times. But it grabbed me from the start as he lays out in the prologue how he had been taught to keep quiet his whole life. From his grandfather in the Dominican Republic to Basic Training and on the the famous circumspect nature of the job of a Capitol Policeman. Then after January 6th as he saw the lies about that day being spread he decided to step forward and tell the truth of what happened. We are all better because he did.

Sergeant Gonell testifying to the January 6th Committee

What’s it feel like to see the the people who actively encouraged the violence that nearly took your life and did take the lives of several participants ascend to the highest reaches of power unscathed from their actions? How do you sit back and watch the perpetrators of an attack on our democracy carry on?

Watch this one to find out…and please…BUY THE BOOK!

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The Show

Sergeant Aquilino Gonell

Aquilino Gonell is an immigrant from the Dominican Republican, former U.S. Army soldier, and Iraq War veteran. For seventeen years, he was a United States Capitol Police officer and was one of four police officers who testified before the House Select Committee investigating the January 6 insurrection. He is a recipient of the Congressional Gold Medal and the Presidential Citizens Medal. His book American Shield: The Immigrant Sergeant who Defended Democracy is in presale now and available on November 7th.

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