The brother of U.S. Capitol Police Officer Brian Sicknick, who was killed following the events of January 6, 2021, is asking voters in New Jersey’s 11th district to reject a GOP congressional candidate who was part of a group of Donald Trump supporters at the Capitol that day.
The candidate, Joseph Belnome, faces Rep. Mikie Sherrill (D-Montclair) in tomorrow’s election.
“He stood with the same mob that attacked my brother, and we cannot allow him to serve in Congress,” said New Jerseyan Craig Sicknick. “Joseph Belnome should be ashamed of himself. He cannot be allowed to get anywhere close to power.”
Belnome has played down his presence in Washington that day, saying he attended a Stop the Steal rally and marched to the Capitol but never went near the building.
But the Sherrill campaign disputes that.
“Joe Belnome is an election-denying insurrectionist no matter what revisionist history he tries to sell to voters,” said Sherrill’s spokesman, Sean Higgins. “Photo evidence that shows Belnome beyond the police barricades proves as much.”
Craig Sicknick says Belnome called the events of January 6 “more of a protest than a riot” and slammed the Republican candidate for saying that those in prison for their role on that day should be released from jail.
“To honor my brother Brian’s life, I am doing everything I can to bring attention to dangerous extremists like Belnome and support patriots like Mikie Sherrill, who will always stand up for our Constitution and our democracy,” he said.