Harris says ‘America’s democracy stood’, after certifying election defeat
In brief remarks to reporters in the Capitol, Kamala Harris said she was simply doing her constitutional duty in presiding this afternoon over the certification of her presidential election defeat by Donald Trump.
“Today, I did what I have done my entire career, which is take seriously the oath that I have taken many times to support and defend the constitution of the United States, which included today performing my constitutional duties to ensure that the people of America, the voters of America, will have their votes counted, that those votes matter and that they will determine them the outcome of an election,” the vice-president said.
“I do believe very strongly that America’s democracy is only as strong as our willingness to fight for every single person, their willingness to fight for and respect the importance of our democracy. Otherwise, it is very fragile, and it will not be able to withstand moments of crisis. And today, America’s democracy stood.”
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Key events
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Closing summary
Four years after Donald Trump’s supporters attacked the US Capitol to prevent the certification of Joe Biden’s election victory, the Senate and House convened with no drama to formalize the Republican’s return to the White House. Kamala Harris presided as lawmakers read the results from each state, and then made the official announcement that Trump will be the next president. Democrats, for their part, held off on objecting to the results from any state, which would have been futile but has nonetheless happened a few times in the past. Remarking on her role in certifying her defeat at the hands of the former president, Harris said she was merely following the oath she had taken as vice-president, and ensuring the peaceful transfer of power to the next administration.
Here’s what else happened today:
Trump, who was not at the Capitol, busied himself by musing about making Canada the 51st state.
Chuck Schumer, the top Democrat in the Senate, warned Trump against following through on his promise to pardon people accused of crimes on January 6.
Biden wrote an opinion piece for the Washington Post, in which he cautioned against efforts to downplay the severity of the 2021 insurrection at the Capitol.
The Capitol was surrounded by fencing and guarded by lots of police, both changes from four years ago. Mother Nature has also weighed in, dumping snow on the Washington DC region and a host of eastern and midwestern states.
Nancy Pelosi, the Democratic House speaker during the insurrection, and Hakeem Jeffries, the current House minority leader, both avoided mentioning Trump in statements marking the anniversary of the attack, while signaling the importance of today’s joint session.
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Rudy Giuliani, the former mayor of New York who was involved in Donald Trump’s efforts to block Joe Biden from taking office four years ago, has been found in contempt of court by a federal judge, Reuters reports.
Giuliani was ordered to pay $148m to two Georgia election workers in 2023 after a judge found him liable for defaming them, but lawyers for the plaintiffs have accused him of not abiding by the terms of the judgment. Here’s more, from Reuters:
The contempt citation by U.S. District Judge Lewis Liman in Manhattan – the district where Giuliani had been the top federal prosecutor – marks a further fall from grace for Giuliani, once known as “America’s Mayor” for his response to the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.
The ruling stems from a lawsuit the election workers, Ruby Freeman and her daughter Wandrea Moss, brought against Giuliani in 2021. They accused the former personal lawyer to Republican President-elect Donald Trump of destroying their reputations by lying that they tried to help steal the 2020 election.
Giuliani made repeated false claims that a surveillance video showed the pair concealing and counting suitcases filled with illegal ballots at a basketball arena in Atlanta that was used to process votes.
Giuliani has been disbarred for making false claims about the 2020 election, and pleaded not guilty to criminal charges in Georgia and Arizona that he aided Trump’s failed attempt to overturn his loss.
In July 2023, Giuliani conceded he made defamatory statements about Freeman and Moss, and a judge that August ruled he was liable for defamation as a sanction against him for failing to turn over electronic records to the two election workers.
A Washington, D.C., jury later ordered he pay Freeman and Moss roughly $73 million in compensation and $75 million as punishment.
Lawyers for Freeman and Moss have urged Liman to hold Giuliani in contempt for ignoring his orders to give up his Manhattan apartment, title to a 1980 Mercedes and sports memorabilia, and respond to questions about a Palm Beach, Florida, condominium he owns.
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Donald Trump has not yet reacted publicly to Congress’s certification of his election win, instead musing on Truth Social about Canada becoming part of the United States.
He wrote:
Many people in Canada LOVE being the 51st State. The United States can no longer suffer the massive Trade Deficits and Subsidies that Canada needs to stay afloat. Justin Trudeau knew this, and resigned. If Canada merged with the U.S., there would be no Tariffs, taxes would go way down, and they would be TOTALLY SECURE from the threat of the Russian and Chinese Ships that are constantly surrounding them. Together, what a great Nation it would be!!!
The president-elect has similarly pondered buying Greenland and taking back control of the Panama Canal. The former was floated during his first administration, and went nowhere.
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Donald Trump has said that pardoning January 6 defendants will be his first priority upon taking office, but signaled that he may pass over people accused or convicted of the most violent crimes.
Commenting to reporters at the Capitol, CNN reports that Republican senator Lindsey Graham echoed that sentiment, saying rioters who attacked police officers should not be forgiven:
I’m going to leave that to him – that’s his power to exercise – but the people who beat up police officers, I’d put them in a different category than others.
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Harris says ‘America’s democracy stood’, after certifying election defeat
In brief remarks to reporters in the Capitol, Kamala Harris said she was simply doing her constitutional duty in presiding this afternoon over the certification of her presidential election defeat by Donald Trump.
“Today, I did what I have done my entire career, which is take seriously the oath that I have taken many times to support and defend the constitution of the United States, which included today performing my constitutional duties to ensure that the people of America, the voters of America, will have their votes counted, that those votes matter and that they will determine them the outcome of an election,” the vice-president said.
“I do believe very strongly that America’s democracy is only as strong as our willingness to fight for every single person, their willingness to fight for and respect the importance of our democracy. Otherwise, it is very fragile, and it will not be able to withstand moments of crisis. And today, America’s democracy stood.”
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Per CSPAN, today’s electoral vote certification was, in terms of length, typical of those in the recent past.
In 2017, the joint session lasted 41 minutes, while in 2013 it took 22 minutes and in 2009 it went on for 36 minutes.
The sole exception was 2021, when it lasted for 14 hours and 48 minutes because Donald Trump’s supporters attacked the Capitol.
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Earlier in the day, Chuck Schumer, the Democratic Senate minority leader, criticized Donald Trump for considering pardons of people convicted or facing charges over the January 6 attack.
“It is shamefully, utterly outrageous, that the president-elect is considering pardons for these rioters who broke the law and attacked our police officers on January 6,” Schumer said in a speech on the Senate floor.
“Pardoning the criminals who assaulted police officers and tried to halt the democratic process would be a dangerous endorsement of political violence. It would send a message to the country and to the world that those who use force to get their way will not be punished. It is wrong. It is reckless. And it would be an insult to the memories of those who died in connection to that day.”
Trump has said that pardons for those involved in the attack could come on his first day back in office, though he may allow some prosecutions to continue. Here’s more about his plans:
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Democrats hold off on objecting to Trump’s election victory
It took just over a half hour for Kamala Harris, performing her ceremonial duty as president of the Senate, to certify Donald Trump’s victory in the electoral college.
The certification was over quickly because no Democrats rose to object to the results from any state – a change from four years ago when, in addition to Trump’s supporters attacking the Capitol, dozens of Republican lawmakers formally disputed the certification of Joe Biden’s victory in key swing states.
Democrats have in the past objected to the certification of electoral votes, including when Trump was first elected eight years ago. But the party unanimously held off this year, and lawmakers who spoke up about their reasons often cited the need to ensure a peaceful transfer of power after the violence in 2021.
Here’s a statement from Democratic congressman Jared Moskowitz, who expresses a typical sentiment:
Democracy means respecting the results, even when you lose. January 6, 2021, was one of the darkest days in modern American history, because many people allowed partisanship to eclipse their commitment to democracy. I took an oath just three days ago to support and defend the Constitution of the United States, and I intend to uphold it. Today, I will be voting to certify President-elect Donald Trump’s victory, and I urge every Member of Congress to do the same.
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Harris also announced the results of the ceremonial election for vice-president.
“The whole number of electors appointed to vote for vice-president of the United States is 538. Within that whole number, a majority is 270. The votes for vice-president of the United States are as follows: JD Vance of the state of Ohio has received 312 votes,” she said, to cheers from the GOP.
“Tim Walz of the state of Minnesota has received 226 votes,” she then said.
The vice-president then made formal the results of the electoral count.
“This announcement of the state of the vote by the president of the Senate shall be deemed a sufficient declaration of the persons elected president and vice-president of the United States, each for a term beginning on the 20th day of January, 2025 and shall be entered together with the list of the votes on the journals of the House and the Senate,” Harris said.
She then gaveled the joint session to a close, and appears to have departed the Senate chamber.
Vance is meanwhile on the floor, speaking with lawmakers.
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Harris announces Trump’s election victory after congress certifies result
Kamala Harris has just announced Donald Trump’s victory in the presidential election, following Congress’s certification of the result.
“The state of the vote for the president of the United States as delivered to the president of the Senate is as follows: the whole number of the electors appointed to vote for president of the United States is 538. Within that whole number, the majority is 270. The votes for president of the United States are as follows: Donald J Trump of the state of Florida has received 312 votes,” Harris said.
Loud applause broke out from Republicans. Harris watched for a while, then gaveled for quiet.
“Kamala D Harris of the State of California has received 226 votes,” she then said, prompting cheers from Democrats.
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The electoral votes from the final state, Wyoming, which has a mere three, were just read.
Kamala Harris then asked the tellers to report the results of the election, and is now announcing Donald Trump’s election victory.
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We’re getting close to the end.
“Madam President, the certificate of the electoral vote of the state of Vermont seems to be regular in form and authentic, and it appears there from the Kamala D Harris of the state of California received three votes for president, and Tim Walz of the state of Minnesota received three votes for vice-president,” Republican congressman Bryan Steil just announced.
In total, Donald Trump won 312 electoral votes, and Harris 226.
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Kamala Harris is standing up and handing slates of electoral votes to the tellers from the dais, where Republican House speaker Mike Johnson is sitting next to her.
Applause typically follows after the votes are read, with the occasional whoops and cheers from the lawmakers.
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