At 3:41 a.m. Thursday, Jan. 7, Congress certified the electoral votes for the 2020 election as submitted by each of the 50 states. The joint session was sidelined when angry mobsters disrupted proceedings by pushing past police barricades and breaching the Capitol.
Providing an overview of police activity Wednesday, Washington Police Chief Robert Contee said one woman was shot and killed by police and 52 people arrested, 26 on U.S. Capitol grounds. Three other deaths were reported in the city from what Contee calls “separate medical emergencies.”
While many supporters of President Donald J. Trump peacefully met for the “Save America March”, a minority were planning violence.
With people from both parties and many walks of life being part of protests in 2020 where a few ignited violence, President Trump released a memoranda Tuesday addressing antifa.
“In particular, reliable reporting suggests that the movement known as antifa is directly or indirectly responsible for some of the recent lawlessness in our communities, and has exploited tragedies to advance a radical, leftist, anarchist and often violent agenda,” he says. “In fact, antifa has long used otherwise permissible demonstrations to engage in lawless, criminal behavior to further its radical agenda.”
Prior to investigation or proof Wednesday, media commentators and the public through social media began blaming the violence on President Trump and even the lawmakers who were peacefully—and in accordance with the Constitution—requesting an audit of the election based on the requests and support of millions of Americans.
Rudy Giuliani represents countless Americans when tweeting:
Our cause is to obtain an honest vote and to end voter fraud before it becomes a permanent tactic of the enabled and media protected Democrat Party.
Violence is rejected, condemned and counter productive.
Antifa involvement is no excuse.
It contradicts our values.
— Rudy W. Giuliani (@RudyGiuliani) January 7, 2021
According to a Washington insider, small groups frequently draw the attention of police around the Capitol. He says they normally just enter, do a sit-in, shout slogans and push their way into offices. Sometimes, they are carried out by Capitol Police. Occasionally, someone is arrested.
“It is a normal routine,” he says, noting the only difference is this group was not liberal. “It is a double standard that has hurt so many.”
Congressional Action
As Congress met, before and after the security lockdown, there were passionate speeches given regarding the Nov. 3 election. In particular, the legality of elections practices of six states were addressed, especially in Pennsylvania, which passed a state law prior to the election allowing for widespread use of mail-in ballots, a law contradictory to the state constitution.
Hours later, after talk of election integrity, democracy, violence and the need to resolve differences peacefully, Congress certified the 2020 election with a tally of 306 electoral votes for Joe Biden and 232 for President Trump.
While the inauguration is 13 days away, and many refuse to accept the election as legal or Constitutional, leaders around the country are calling for peace, especially President Trump.
Trump promises ‘orderly transition’ on Jan. 20 after Electoral College results certifiedhttps://t.co/6lPeCo29C5
— Fox News (@FoxNews) January 7, 2021
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