Vice President Mike Pence announced just after 3:40 a.m. Thursday that President-elect Joe Biden had won the presidency after Congress completed the counting of the Electoral College votes.
A protest became a violence riot at the Capitol Building, objecting to the election results.
Lawmakers were escorted from the House and Senate chambers after a group of rioters pushed their way into the Capitol building. Photos show Trump supporters entering an empty Senate chamber, and Capitol security commenced in a stand-off at a barricaded House door.
Others entered the offices of lawmakers, and broke windows and Capitol property. Four people are reportedly dead.
“Today was a dark day in the history of the United States Capitol, but thanks to the swift efforts of U.S. Capitol police, federal, state, and local law enforcement, the violence was quelled, the Capitol is secured, and the people’s work continues,” said Pence after the Senate reconvened for the evening.
“We condemn the violence that took place here in the strongest possible terms,” Pence wrote on Twitter. “We grieve the loss of life in these hallowed halls, as well as the injuries suffered by those who defended our Capitol today.”
Trump’s social media aide Dan Scavino has tweeted a “Statement by President Donald J. Trump on the Electoral Certification”: “Even though I totally disagree with the outcome of the election, and the facts bear me out, nevertheless there will be an orderly transition on January 20th. I have always said we would continue our fight to ensure that only legal votes were counted. While this represents the end of the greatest first term in presidential history, it’s only the beginning of our fight to Make America Great Again!”
Earlier Wednesday, Trump had encouraged his supporters to “walk over” to the U.S. Capitol as Congress counted the Electoral College votes and has lately been insisting Vice President Pence had the authority to overturn the election results.
Biden gave a speech in Delaware denouncing the violence and called on Trump to address the nation, who posted a one-minute video to Twitter, telling the rioters they are “special” but they “need to go home now.”
No senators signed onto House members’ objections to the results in Michigan and Nevada.
Senator Josh Hawley followed through on his promise to object to Pennsylvania’s results. The Senate rejected it 92-7, leaving the House to debate it for two hours before it was rejected after 3 a.m.
Biden will be sworn in on January 20.
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