Violent mobs of Trump supporters storm Capitol as GOP tries to overturn election

Angry, violent mobs of Donald Trump supporters on Wednesday tried to force their way into the U.S. Capitol, shoving and cursing at law enforcement officers seeking to guard the building.

Videos shared on social media show members of the mob, many waving Trump flags, pushing Capitol Police officers as they tried to rush up the steps of the Capitol.

The effort came after Trump himself encouraged his supporters to march to the Capitol to try to coerce Republicans to block President-elect Joe Biden’s landslide victory — which was cemented on Dec. 14 when the Electoral College met in states across the country to cast their ballots.

Trump riled up his supporters in a long and rambling speech at a gathering on the National Mall, in which he spewed lies about voter fraud and claimed that he won the election when he most certainly did not.

The violent break-in attempt forced the evacuation of office buildings in the Capitol complex where lawmakers and their staff work, according to multiple reports. Punchbowl News’ Jake Sherman reported that congressional staffers working in the office buildings were instructed to “take escape hoods, and to go underground to tunnels.” Ultimately, one of the evacuated office buildings was given the all-clear. 

It all took place as Republican lawmakers inside the building began their destined-to-fail coup attempt to steal the election from President-elect Joe Biden.

Congress is currently holding hours of debate, after Rep. Paul Gosar (R-AZ) and Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) objected to Biden’s victory in Arizona. Republicans are expected to object to multiple other states Biden won, which will drag out the eventual certification of Biden’s win by hours.

Republicans in the House chamber — where the Electoral College certification ceremony was taking place — were in violation of coronavirus restrictions, gave a standing ovation to the members who objected to the results.

However, not every Republican was on board.

Soon-to-be Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell chastised members of his party for engaging in the coup stunt.

“It would be unfair and wrong to disenfranchise American voters and overrule the courts and the states on this extraordinarily thin basis,” McConnell said in a speech on the Senate floor.

And Vice President Mike Pence says he will not block certification of Biden’s win — even though Trump claimed otherwise — writing in a letter before he entered the Capitol that he does not believe he has the Constitutional authority to do so.

Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.