A professional-Trump mob fueled by conspiracy theories stormed the Capitol Wednesday, leaving one girl useless and a nation rattled. But, mere h
A professional-Trump mob fueled by conspiracy theories stormed the Capitol Wednesday, leaving one girl useless and a nation rattled. But, mere hours later, the vast majority of Home Republicans selected to feed into the identical debunked concepts that fueled this revolt by opting to reject Arizona’s electoral votes.
These votes had no materials impact on the transition of energy. Congress is assembly in a joint session to satisfy its authorized obligation to rely the Electoral Faculty’s votes, however on condition that Democrats maintain a majority within the Home and most Senate Republicans have been unwilling to object, there was no path ahead, and the vote failed. A majority of each chambers need to reject a state’s votes for an objection to stay.
Nonetheless, after a day of violent revolt, it has turn out to be too clear simply how harmful it may be to feed into anti-democratic delusions.
Ever since Alabama Rep. Mo Brooks introduced his intention to object in early December, the concept gained steam among the many Republican caucus; at one level, as many as 14 Republican senators, led by Sens. Josh Hawley (MO) and Ted Cruz (TX), had signed on to object as properly.
The objecting members level to baseless allegations of voting irregularities in addition to claims that enormous proportions of their constituents consider the election was stolen as the premise for his or her stance. Nonetheless, these Republicans have ignored their very own function in fomenting conspiracy theories across the election. Their considerations additionally fail to account for the overwhelming proof that there was no widespread voter fraud.
President Donald Trump and distinguished Republicans’ deal with the usually mundane counting of the votes turned January 6 into maybe the final showdown for Trump’s supporters who believed the election had been stolen. Marching from a rally the place they have been egged on by the president himself, rioters flooded into the Capitol and managed to stall the proceedings.
The day’s occasions appeared to have a transparent impact on Senate Republicans: Ultimately, about half of the senators planning to object modified their minds. Solely six — 12 p.c of the Senate Republican caucus — voted to object. Nonetheless, a whopping 121 Home Republicans, or 57 p.c of the Home Republican caucus, selected to vote in favor of the baseless perception that Arizona’s Electoral Faculty votes have been in some way compromised.