The terrorists lose: Congress confirms Biden, Harris victory

Josh Hawley, ambitious weasel supreme

In the wake of a Trumpist mob storming the Capitol even as some congressional Republicans tried to overturn the results of the elections in several states from within the Capitol, some had hoped that enough of those Republicans would back down and allow the counting of electoral votes to conclude quickly. That is supposed to be a routine task, after all. But Senate Republicans with 2024 presidential ambitions, like Josh Hawley and Ted Cruz, were trying to curry favor with Trump’s base after Donald spent the last two months convincing his voters that the election had been stolen, and were intent on dragging it out. 

After hours of lockdowns and danger, this is Hawley’s concession: He’s still going to object to the counting of Pennsylvania’s electoral votes. But then he’ll shut up and yield his time—all five minutes of it. Other members of Congress can yap to their hearts’ content, or at least for five minutes. So this will still be a long night on top of a long, traumatic day.

Thursday, Jan 7, 2021 · 4:21:22 AM +00:00 · Mark Sumner

In other words, Hawley said he thought it was so important to object to Arizona’s votes that it was worth debating, but he didn’t mention Arizona when it was his turn to talk. And then Hawley thought it was so important to talk about Pennsylvania that he’s forcing the House and Senate to sit through another round of debate. But he’s not even going to bother to say anything.

Stunt voting in it’s most basic form.

Thursday, Jan 7, 2021 · 4:26:09 AM +00:00 · Mark Sumner

I keep remembering that Mitch McConnell threw Elizabeth Warren out of the Senate for reading a letter from Coretta Scott King.

— Tor 🍑 (@queer_spice) January 7, 2021

Thursday, Jan 7, 2021 · 4:36:31 AM +00:00 · Mark Sumner

The ransacked office of the Senate Parliamentarian: pic.twitter.com/E7PsSgoAEX

— Ali Zaslav (@alizaslav) January 7, 2021

Thursday, Jan 7, 2021 · 4:53:53 AM +00:00 · Mark Sumner

Georgia got an objection from the House side, which appears to have come from just Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene. But now that Kelly Loeffler has lost interest in playing along—likely because her political career, such as it was, is over more than the day’s events—no other Senator signed on.

So Trump lost Georgia. Again.

Thursday, Jan 7, 2021 · 4:56:43 AM +00:00 · Mark Sumner

Mike Pence’s chief of staff has apparently been denied entry to the White House. It will be interesting to see how Mikey is greeted when this is over.

Thursday, Jan 7, 2021 · 5:04:11 AM +00:00 · Joan McCarter

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene objects to Michigan's electoral votes.

No Senator has signed on to the objection.

And now we move on to Minnesota.

— Matt Fuller (@MEPFuller) January 7, 2021

Thursday, Jan 7, 2021 · 5:06:41 AM +00:00 · Joan McCarter

Rep. Mo Brooks objects to Nevada's electoral votes, pronounces name of state wrong.

Brooks has no senator

"Unfortunately no United States senator has joined in this effort"

Massive applause

— Burgess Everett (@burgessev) January 7, 2021

Thursday, Jan 7, 2021 · 5:18:15 AM +00:00 · Mark Sumner

Rep. Scott Perry (R-Pa.) objects to the Pennsylvania vote.

And Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) has signed it. We'll be headed back to debate in either chamber and a vote.

— Matt Fuller (@MEPFuller) January 7, 2021

Thursday, Jan 7, 2021 · 7:11:22 AM +00:00 · Mark Sumner

Conor Lamb unloaded on the Republicans pushing the objection. 

Lamb: "We know that that attack today, it didn't materialize out of nowhere. It was inspired by lies, the same lies you're hearing in this room tonight, and the members who are repeating those lies should be ashamed of themselves. Their constituents should be ashamed of them."

— Julian Routh (@julianrouth) January 7, 2021

Thursday, Jan 7, 2021 · 7:51:52 AM +00:00 · Mark Sumner

"Get outta here!"

A confrontation breaks out after GOP Rep. Morgan Griffith asks to strike out comments from Rep. Conor Lamb saying Republicans lied about the election.

Lamb replies, "The truth hurts" https://t.co/wTKxzqAo9U pic.twitter.com/XDA9ArvRrG

— CBS News (@CBSNews) January 7, 2021

Thursday, Jan 7, 2021 · 8:05:23 AM +00:00 · Mark Sumner

House vote is now 280 to 137 to reject the objection, with 14 not voted. Of that, of course, all 137 are Rs so Rs are 137 to 64 to overturn the PA vote. House Rs are a disgrace.

— Jonathan McDowell (@planet4589) January 7, 2021

Thursday, Jan 7, 2021 · 8:10:20 AM +00:00 · Mark Sumner

The earlier Senate vote was 92-7 against, so everything that happened in the House was literally pointless. Expectations are we will now proceed through the remaining states. 

Thursday, Jan 7, 2021 · 8:28:57 AM +00:00 · Mark Sumner

And we’re counting again. Not long now, folks. Up to South Carolina. 

Thursday, Jan 7, 2021 · 8:40:36 AM +00:00 · Mark Sumner

Amy Klobuchar reads out the results of the clerks, and gets a bit emotional in doing so.

Thursday, Jan 7, 2021 · 8:42:23 AM +00:00 · Mark Sumner

And Pence has read the results into the record. It’s over. Go to sleep, and we’ll see you in the morning. 

Thursday, Jan 7, 2021 · 8:44:25 AM +00:00 · Mark Sumner

At 3:41 am ET, Vice President Mike Pence announces the victory of Joe Biden over President Trump. pic.twitter.com/9ebnaft0MC

— Jamie Dupree (@jamiedupree) January 7, 2021

Thursday, Jan 7, 2021 · 8:56:17 AM +00:00 · Barbara Morrill

And … Trump just issued a statement:

"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 American Great Again."

The eyes roll.