Congress on Thursday formally completed the certification process for the new U.S. president, former Democratic Vice President Joe Biden, after violent clashes broke out between Trump supporters on Capitol Hill. But the ripple effects of the whole affair continue to simmer. Senior Republican senators have been harassed and insulted by crowds of supporters of President Trump for acknowledging the election results, and Republicans who led lawmakers to challenge the results have also faced strong criticism from Democrats.
Several videos posted on social media showed Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC), a South Carolina Republican, being surrounded by crowds at the airport Friday as he prepared to leave the capital. Several people who believe the 2020 presidential election was “stolen” and rigged are seen following Graham through the airport, calling him a “traitor,” with expletives mixed in at times.
Senator Graham, 65 years old, was finally able to make his way to the gate and left the plane surrounded by security guards.
Senator Lindsey Graham, who will soon become the top Republican on the Budget Committee from the Senate Judiciary Committee, has been seen as a loyal ally of President Trump on Capitol Hill. Graham has repeatedly and vigorously defended President Trump’s policies since 2017.
Two days earlier, Graham had acknowledged Biden and Harris as the nation’s next president and vice president in a speech before Congress certifying the presidential election results.
“Enough is enough,” Graham said Wednesday night during a debate on the Senate floor after Congress reconvened after the turmoil. “I need to say this, Joe. Biden and Camara Harris were legally elected and they will become president and vice president on January 20, “he said.
Graham also stressed that all the controversies and disputes over the outcome of the election should come to an end.
Re public ans on the spot to support President Trump amid calls to step down
Two days after the violent assault on the U.S. Capitol, the scene may at first appear to be over, but several storms continue to brew below the surface. Congressional Democrats are increasingly calling for Donald Trump’s immediate removal from office, and some Republican lawmakers are also under fire from all sides.
In addition to the verbal violence of Senator Graham over his eventual endorsement of President Biden by pro-Trump demonstrators who insist the election was rigged, Republican lawmakers who challenged the congressional certification process are now under fire as well.
A growing number of congressional Democrats are calling on Republican Sens. Ted Cruz (R-TX) and Josh Hawley (R-MO) to step down to take responsibility for Wednesday’s violent assault on Capitol Hill. Cruz and Hawley are among the Republicans leading lawmakers in challenging the election results.
Sen. Pat Murray (D-WA), the third-ranking Democrat in the Senate leadership, issued a statement Friday calling on Cruz and Hawley to resign. In a statement, Murray accused the two Republican senators of undermining the democratic process and supporting “the supremacy of democracy by force.”
“Ultimately, our job is to preserve this country as a democracy where the voice wins, not the brute force. Any senator who stands out in support of the primacy of force over democratic forces violates their oath of office, “Murray said in a statement.
During Wednesday’s congressional certification, Cruz, Hawley and several other Republicans in both chambers of Congress challenged the electoral vote results of several states, including Arizona, Pennsylvania and Georgia.
Sen. Ron Wyden (D-WA), an Oregon Democrat, joined the chorus of Democratic leaders in blaming Cruz and Hawley for the violent assault on Capitol Hill Wednesday and calling for both lawmakers to step down.
“The actions of President Trump and Senators Hawley and Cruz culminated in attacks on the fortresses of our democracy that have shocked conscience,” Senator Wyden said in a written statement Friday.
“Any senator who instigated such attacks violates their oath and is unfit to serve in federal office. There must also be consequences for those senators who incite violence for their own gain, “Wyden said, ending his statement by directly calling for Cruz and Hawley to resign.
During an interview with local Texas television Thursday, Senator Cruz responded to calls for his resignation. Cruz began by sharply condemning Wednesday’s violent assault on Capitol Hill, saying he is absolutely opposed to any attempt to undermine democracy. He stressed Wednesday that challenging the election results is the job of an elected U.S. senator.
“What I and the other senators do is what we were elected to do, and that is that there will be debates on major issues in the Senate of the United States. I and 11 other senators, we proposed to the Senate that Congress should appoint an election commission, “Cruz said in an interview.
Cruz went on to say he thinks a commission of inquiry on the election would help boost confidence in American democracy.
Citing a Reuters/Ipsos poll released in November, Cruz went on to say, “There have been many serious allegations of election fraud over the past period. Sadly, a recent poll shows that 39 percent of Americans think the election was rigged, which is a very heartbreaking result. And by the way, that’s not just an issue for Republicans, 31 percent of independents think that, and 17 percent of Democrats think that.”
Cruz also responded in a tweet Thursday to Rep. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), who accused him of encouraging Wednesday’s violence. Cruz retorted, “Your lie is that having a debate in the Senate over the creation of an election commission is somehow an endorsement of terrorist violence.”
A new book by a rising Republican star, Jon Hawley, has been cancelled
While Cruz has responded forcefully to calls for him to take responsibility for the violence and step down, Republican Senator Hawley has been low-key and has not publicly responded positively.
However, Simon & Schuster, the publisher that was due to release Holley’s book about the dominance of the US tech giants, has decided to cancel its book deal with Holley.
Hawley responded by Posting a statement on Twitter, denouncing the publisher’s decision and calling it a “direct attack on the First Amendment.”
Hawley also said he would take legal action. “I’ll see you in court! Hawley said at the end of the statement.
Separately, Rep. Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN), a Democrat, has introduced a resolution to remove lawmakers, including Cruz and Hawley, who supported a challenge to the election results. So far, however, the resolution does not have broad support from any political party.
Recent Comments