Congress rejects challenges to Biden wins in Arizona, Pennsylvania

The chaos of insurrection Wednesday at the U.S. Capitol did not derail the election's certification.

Jan 7, 2021

Returning to the halls of Congress hours after insurrectionists directed by President Donald Trump stormed the U.S. Capitol Building, lawmakers resumed the discussion of the objection to the certification of Arizona’s Electoral College votes.

Six Republican senators and 121 Republican members of the House of Representatives continued to support the objection. They were easily outvoted, and the challenge was rejected.

Republican Rep. Paul Gosar of Arizona objects to the certification of the Electoral College votes for his state Wednesday night in Congress. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)

The objection to Pennsylvania’s Electoral College votes was defeated after a 92-7 vote well into the early morning to certify that state’s election.

The certification of votes is usually a ceremonial event that lasts just an hour, a ritual presided over by the president of the Senate, a role officially designated to the vice president of the United States.

However, Trump incorrectly maintained that Vice President Mike Pence had more authority than he actually did, repeatedly calling on him to “decertify the results” and “send them back to the states.”

The chaos of insurrection Wednesday at the U.S. Capitol did not derail the election’s certification, a process outlined in the U.S. Constitution. Lawmakers returned to chambers at 8 p.m. accompanied by armed guards from a variety of police agencies.

The debate about the certification of election results in Pennsylvania got heated late into the night. Pennsylvania Rep. Conor Lamb, a Democrat, was incensed as he spoke during the objection to his state’s election results.

“These objections don’t deserve an ounce of respect. Not an ounce,” Lamb said, aiming his comments towards the Republicans in the room. “A woman died out there tonight, and you’re making these objections!”

“That attack today, it didn’t materialize out of nowhere. It was inspired by lies. The same lies that you are hearing in this room tonight,” he continued, as reported by ABC News. “The members who are repeating those lies should be ashamed of themselves. Their constituents should be ashamed of them.”

Republican Rep. Morgan Griffiths of Virginia then asked for some of his assertions to be stricken from the record.

“The gentleman said there were lies on this floor today looking over this direction. I ask that those words be taken down,” Griffiths said to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, referring to Lamb’s speech.

He then replied: “The truth hurts.”

Pelosi then attempted to regain order as House Republicans and Democrats engaged in a shouting match.

A total of 138 GOPers voted to sustain the objection to Pennsylvania’s election results, while 64 voted against it. No Democrats supported the objection, compared to 68 percent of House Republicans.

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