National Police Association says Congress should investigate 2020 riots, not just Jan. 6

The National Police Association, a lobbying group representing law enforcement, said Wednesday that the House select committee on the Jan. 6 Capitol riot is politically motivated, and they should turn their attention to the multitude of protests and riots that erupted across the country last year.

"People need to see that police officers go through horrible things, and Jan. 6 was a horrible thing for some of those officers," Association spokeswoman Betsy Brantner Smith told Fox News. "I find this whole Jan. 6 Commission, frankly, a dog and pony show. It doesn't tell the whole story."

Smith argued that the riots that occurred after the death of George Floyd had a greater impact on police than the Jan. 6 riot, and called for them to be investigated.

"The 2020 riots, we can't just say the whole George Floyd thing was bad and that's what cops have to deal with, and then watch these four weeping men talk about their experiences, ignoring thousands and thousands of police officers, ignoring their feelings and their experiences and their injuries," she said. "I want the American public to hear about that," Smith told the outlet.

"Myself, like millions of Americans, sat there watching the testimony thinking, 'Wait, where are the police officers who appeared – appeared – to let some of the protesters in?" she asked. "Where is the police officer who shot Ashli Babbitt? In fact, why aren't we talking about Ashli Babbitt? I mean there's so much more here."

"There were at least 574 violent riots in 2020, and yet today's Congressional hearings are focusing on only one riot, January 6th, 2021, and hearing testimony from only a few of the police officers involved," Smith told The Washington Times on Tuesday.

Smith's comments came as several police officers testified before the select committee, talking about the events of the riot and the impact it had on their psyche.