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The outbursts did not stop there.
After Nehls yielded the floor to Rep. Jefferson Van Drew (R-NJ), Fanone openly flipped Nehls off in full view of the committee.
Nehls did not let the behavior slide.
Later, he fired back, “Mr. Fanone, you need medication!”
According to reporting from The Gateway Pundit, Fanone’s conduct throughout the hearing included screaming profanities and threatening another attendee, reinforcing growing concerns about his credibility and temperament.
The confrontation was triggered when Nehls informed the former officers that the new January 6 Select Committee intends to investigate the failures of Capitol leadership rather than recycling political talking points.
He told them directly that responsibility for the chaos does not rest with President Trump.
Instead, Nehls placed the blame squarely on Capitol security leadership.
The Texas congressman said the committee will “actually examine what happened that day,” adding that “the fault does not lie with Donald Trump. It lies with Yogananda Pittman and the US Capitol leadership team.”
Earlier in the hearing, Nehls delivered one of the most forceful public takedowns yet of Jack Smith’s tenure as special counsel.
“You tried to criminalize political speech, slap unlawful gag orders on a presidential candidate, and spy on Republican members of Congress in violation of the Speech or Debate Clause, including the sitting Speaker of the House,” Nehls said. “This wasn’t, Mr. Smith, about upholding the law. It was about tearing down President Trump and anyone, anyone close to him.”
He continued, accusing Smith of abusing his power to influence the election.
“Mr. Smith, you mishandled documents, pressured defense lawyers, and dumped a massive trove of so-called evidence right before the election. And you did it, you did it to sway voters! That’s why you did it.”
Nehls also referenced the Mar-a-Lago raid and Smith’s appointment, noting that a federal judge in Florida dismissed the case.
“This wasn’t, Mr. Smith, about upholding the law. It was about tearing down President Trump and anyone, anyone close to him,” Nehls said. “You even tried to ram through a politically motivated final report after your cases collapsed, including the Presidential Transition Act and basic fairness.”
Then came what Nehls called the ultimate verdict.
“The American people saw right through it,” he said. “They rejected, sir, your witch hunt loud and clear in November, handing President Trump a commanding victory.”
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He added, “Donald Trump winning the popular vote by over 2 million votes, the electoral college by 85 votes, along with every single swing state. Now, sir, that is proof beyond a reasonable doubt that the crap you were shoveling did not pass the smell test with the American people.”
When Nehls pivoted back to January 6 security failures, the room erupted again.
“We know the Capitol Leadership team, specifically Yogananda Pittman, had the intelligence, and there was going to be a high propensity for violence that day,” Nehls said, citing internal intelligence reports.
That is when Fanone snapped.
“Go f*ck yourself,” he shouted.
Chairman Jordan immediately intervened, warning the audience to remain in order. Fanone responded again with “Bullsh*t.”
Despite the disruptions, Nehls pressed on, pointing to failures in intelligence dissemination and leadership decisions that left officers unprepared.
“It was their fault, folks. It was their fault,” Nehls said. “It was not President Trump.”
Rep. Jefferson Van Drew echoed that assessment, reminding the committee that President Trump urged supporters to act “peacefully and patriotically” and requested National Guard support.
That triggered yet another heated exchange, with Ranking Member Jamie Raskin (D-MD) angrily interrupting.
By the end of the hearing, what was meant to be a controlled defense of Jack Smith unraveled into a public spectacle.
Instead of reinforcing the January 6 narrative pushed by Democrats, the hearing exposed raw emotion, partisan desperation, and a former officer losing his composure on national display.
And with a new Select Committee now in place, Republicans are making clear they intend to revisit January 6 with fresh eyes and a very different focus.
