Amid disturbing new revelations and a growing list of individuals under arrest in the wake of the Capitol riot on Jan. 6, there's been a more positive development. NBC News reports a bipartisan bill is now in play to award the Congressional Gold Medal, that body's highest civilian honor, to Capitol Police Officer Eugene Goodman, who apparently used himself as a decoy to lure the mob inside the Capitol away from lawmakers, possibly saving lives. The legislation from Democratic Reps. Charlie Crist and Emanuel Cleaver, as well as GOP Rep. Nancy Mace, lauds Goodman for "his bravery and quick thinking during last week's insurrection." More on Goodman from around the internet:
- The video: CBS News shows clips from Goodman's encounter with the rioters, shot by HuffPost reporter Igor Bobic, in which the officer can be seen running up a set of stairs as the mob follows him. When he gets to the top of the stairs, he glances to the left, where he sees an open, unguarded door to the Senate chamber. And so, after gently pushing one of the rioters, Goodman leads them to the right, away from the chamber. He eventually turns a corner where other police officers are there to back him up.
- From Crist: "I shudder to think what might have happened had it not been for Officer Goodman's fast thinking and commitment to his duty and his country."