Washington —Vice President Mike Pence announced just after 3:40 a.m. on Thursday that President-elect Joe Biden had won the presidency after Congress completed the Electoral College’s vote counting. What was largely seen as a superficial last step before Mr. Biden’s inauguration had turned into a day of chaos after an angry mob of rioters stormed the Capitol in an attempt to stop the process.
Congress had to pause for nearly six hours after an enraged crowd of President Trump supporters stormed the Capitol, killing four people in the fight and forced members of Congress to flee from the floor during what Senate Leader Mitch McConnell had previously labeled as “ the most ‘. important vote I have ever cast. “
Earlier Wednesday, President Trump had encouraged his supporters to “walk” to the Capitol while Congress counted the votes of the Electoral College, the largely ceremonial final step confirming President-elect Joe Biden’s victory. While Mr Trump has recently insisted that Vice President Mike Pence had the authority to reverse the election results, Pence defied Mr Trump on Wednesday and made a lengthy statement saying he could not change the outcome.
Chaos erupted in the Capitol a few hours later when an angry mob of rioters – many waving Trump flags or wearing Trump equipment – broke into the building.
DC Metro police said a woman was shot and killed by police and three people died from medical emergencies. More than 52 people were arrested, 47 of whom were arrested for curfew violations.
Mr. Biden delivered a speech in Delaware denouncing the violence and calling on Mr. Trump to address the nation. Trump then posted a one-minute video to Twitter telling the rioters that they are “special” but that they “have to go home now.”
Congress reconvened nearly six hours later after leaving the hall and picked up where it left off to hear Senator Ted Cruz and Congressman Paul Gosar’s objection to the Arizona election results. The Senate rejected the objection 93-6 and the House rejected it 303-121.
Despite phone calls from more than a dozen senators saying they would support objections to election results in major states, no senators signed House members’ objections to the results in Michigan and Nevada.
But Senator Josh Hawley delivered on his promise to object to Pennsylvania’s results. The Senate rejected it 92-7, leaving Parliament for two hours to debate it before it was rejected after 3 a.m.
Since none of these objections have a majority, they had no chance of success. Even if there were a majority on any of the objections, it would not change the outcome of the election. Mr. Biden will be sworn in on January 20.