Shaken Congress speeds up Biden’s confirmation
Republican senators reversed course and withdrew their objections to the congressional certification of US President-elect Joe Biden’s victory after a violent mob stormed the US Capitol in Washington, DC and interrupted their proceedings.
Four people died – one woman shot by police, and three in medical emergencies.
Senators Steve Daines of Montana, Mike Braun of Indiana and Kelly Loeffler of Georgia said that in light of yesterday’s violence, they would stand down from planned objections to Biden’s win. All three had previously signed on to Trump’s false claims of widespread voter fraud to explain his defeat.
Lawmakers gathered to certify the Electoral College votes from each state were forced to evacuate after an angry mob of Trump supporters descended on the Capitol. The mostly maskless crowd was forcibly removed by police after a nearly fourhour occupation.
After reopening the session, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said the demonstrators ‘‘tried to disrupt our democracy’’.
Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer said Trump bore ‘‘a great deal of the blame’’ for the violence. He said yesterday would ‘‘live forever in infamy’’ and be a stain on American democracy, and that the protesters should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.
Scores of Republican House representatives and 13 senators had planned to object to the electoral votes of perhaps six states that backed Biden.
Trump reiterated his fraud claims in remarks to thousands of protesters outside the White House yesterday and goaded them to march to the Capitol, which many of them did.
The mayhem forced the House and Senate to abruptly end the day’s debates and flee to safety under the protection of police. It also prompted bipartisan outrage as many lawmakers blamed Trump for fostering the violence.
The Republican National Committee strongly condemned the violence at the Capitol, which it said did ‘‘not represent acts of patriotism, but an attack on our country and its founding principles’’. The group’s communications director, Michael Ahrens, said: ‘‘What happened today was domestic terrorism.’’
Dozens of pro-Trump protesters remained on the streets of the capital in defiance of a curfew imposed after the riot. Officers in full riot gear lined the streets near the Capitol.
Trump later appeared to justify the violent occupation of the Capitol by his supporters. In a tweet, he said: ‘‘These are the things and events that happen when a sacred landslide election victory is so unceremoniously & viciously stripped away from great patriots who have been badly & unfairly treated for so long.’’
He added: ‘‘Go home with love & in peace. Remember this day forever!’’
In an unprecedented step, Twitter suspended Trump’s account for 12 hours and removed three of his tweets, and said future violations could result in a permanent suspension.