Biden certified as 46th president amid anarchy on Capitol Hill
Capitol Hill may have been stormed by insurrectionists geed up by Trump’s conspiracy theories, but the process eventually lurched back into gear. After three hours police and other security forces belatedly cleared the mob and guarded the senators and congresspeople as they marched back into the chamber. Speaking first, Vice-President Mike Pence called Wednesday a “dark day in the history of the United States Capitol”. Still, he added the violence had failed before flatly declaring “Let’s get back to work.” The votes continued and Joe Biden has now formally been certified as the president-elect of the United States of America.
This did not take place without yet more grim political theatre. A number of Republicans continued to object to Biden’s certification even as they hollowly condemned the mob violence citing the conspiracy theories they were peddling. In the Senate, a total of seven voted against certifying Biden’s victory – most notably Josh Hawley and Ted Cruz – and in the House of Representatives, two-thirds of the Republicans also objected.
For others, however, this was all a bridge too far. Senate Republican Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, who had already offered a unequivocal condemnation of the efforts to oppose Biden’s certification earlier in the day, condemned the “failed insurrection”.
Senator Mitt Romney, long a lonely critic of Trump in the Republican party, took an even firmer line declaring “We gather today due to a selfish man’s injured pride and the outrage of his supporters whom he has deliberately misinformed for the past two months and stirred to action this very morning.” He further dismissed ideas that an audit should be held to show respect for Trump supporters who refused to accept his loss saying they would not accept it so long as the President did. Instead, “the best way we can show respect for the voters who are upset is by telling them the truth.”
However, the most striking movement came from a number of Republican Senators – including Kelly Loeffler, Mike Braun, and Steve Daines – who had been planning to oppose Biden’s certification only to withdraw their objections, perhaps shaken by the monster they had helped unleash. The original 14 objectors shrank post-riot by seven.
Condemnations also came in thick and fast from other sources including presidents past and future. Joe Biden declared: “This is not dissent, it’s disorder, chaos and borders on sedition and it must end now. Pull back and allow the work of democracy to go forward. The world is watching.”
George W. Bush, meanwhile, called the scenes “sickening and heartbreaking”. He further added: “I am appalled by the reckless behaviour of some political leaders since the election and by the lack of respect shown today for our institutions, our traditions, and our law enforcement.”
Barack Obama was even blunter: “History will rightly remember today’s violence at the Capitol, incited by a sitting president who has continued to baselessly lie about the outcome of a lawful election, as a moment of great dishonour and shame for our nation.” He further added, however, that “we’d be kidding ourselves if we treated it as a total surprise”, calling the events a “violent crescendo” of the lies peddled about the election by Trump and many other Republicans.
Still, perhaps the most blistering condemnation came from Jim Mattis, Trump’s former defence secretary turned outspoken critic. In a statement Mattis said “Today’s violent assault on our Capitol, an effort to subjugate American democracy by mob rule, was fomented by Mr. Trump, his use of the Presidency to destroy trust in our election and to poison our respect for fellow citizens has been enabled by pseudo-political leaders whose names will live in infamy as profiles in cowardice.”
There are also rumblings behind the scenes. Some senior Trump officials, who have stuck with him through thick and thin, are said to be considering resigning. Other sources close to the President have expressed worry that Trump has “lost it” mentally, and report that he is “ranting and raving”.
Worries about Wednesday’s events and Trump’s mental state have lead to rumours that the dramatic step of invoking the 25th amendment, which allows the president to be removed by the vice-president and his Cabinet should they be unable to fulfil their duties. Republican Governor of Vermont Phil Scott even openly advocated the idea.
However, such a move would require many of Trump’s close allies in the Cabinet to turn on him dramatically. Furthermore, even if invoked Trump would have the right to object requiring his removal to be confirmed by 2/3 majorities in both Congress chambers. Such majorities would be extremely unlikely given the large number of Republican legislators still willing to stick with Trump in rejecting Biden’s victory, effectively sinking the potential of the 25th – or the articles of impeachment being redrafted by some Democrats – as a route to a last minute deposition of Trump.
What seems more likely is that there will be a growing effort to simply ignore Trump as much as possible. Already Pence has shown signs of this. Notably, the order to send in the National Guard to help restore order on Capitol Hill apparently came not from Trump – who had allegedly refused to do so – but Pence in consultation with acting Pentagon chief Christopher Mille as well top Democrats and Republican leaders.
If last night is any guide to the days to come it seems Trump will be allowed to play out his last mad king antics, while the men and the women of his court scurry around attempting to mitigate the damage.