The Houses of Congress finally certified President-elect Joe Biden’s victory in the early hours of Thursday morning.
The certification process had been disrupted by a mob of Trump supporters who stormed the US Capitol while the two houses were adjourned to debate an objection to the Arizona electoral vote. In the ensuing chaos, an unarmed young woman was shot while climbing through a broken window as lawmakers sheltered in place. The woman, an Air Force veteran and QAnon follower called Ashli Babbitt, later died of her wounds. Three other people died close to Capitol grounds after suffering ‘separate medical emergencies’, according to police, and 52 arrests were made.
Six Republican senators voted aye to object to the certification of the Arizona electoral vote: Ted Cruz, Josh Hawley, Cindy Hyde-Smith, John Kennedy, Roger Marshall and Tommy Tuberville. Seven Republican senators then objected to the Pennsylvania certification: Cruz, Hawley, Hyde-Smith, Marshall, Tuberville, Cynthia Lummis and Rick Scott.
***
Get a digital subscription to The Spectator.
Try a month free, then just $3.99 a month
***
A challenge to the Georgia certification was expected, but Sen. Kelly Loeffler reversed her decision to sign the letter of objection, citing the day’s violence as the reason for her change of heart. Other Republican senators decided they would vote to certify the results following Wednesday’s unrest, including Marsha Blackburn and Steve Daines.
