Congress finalizes Biden's win after riot disrupts Capitol

By Meg Wagner, Melissa Macaya, Mike Hayes, Melissa Mahtani, Veronica Rocha and Fernando Alfonso III, CNN

Updated 5:15 p.m. ET, January 7, 2021
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9:53 p.m. ET, January 6, 2021

House Judiciary Committee Democrats urge Pence to invoke 25th Amendment

From CNN’s Manu Raju

Members of the House Judiciary Committee are urging Vice President Mike Pence and members from President Trump’s Cabinet to invoke the 25th Amendment to the US Constitution and remove Trump from office, according to a statement released Wednesday night by the committee members.

“Even in his video announcement this afternoon, President Trump revealed that he is not mentally sound and is still unable to process and accept the results of the 2020 election. President Trump’s willingness to incite violence and social unrest to overturn the election results by force clearly meet this standard. So too are his recent Tweets, which Twitter has since deleted, saying the election was ‘stolen’ and that today’s riots ‘are the things and events that happen,’” the members said in the statement.

CNN reported earlier that some Cabinet members are holding preliminary discussions about invoking the 25th Amendment, according to a well placed GOP source. 

12:31 a.m. ET, January 7, 2021

Romney calls Capitol riot "an insurrection incited by the President"

From CNN's Josiah Ryan

Republican Sen. Mitt Romney condemned today's attack on the Capitol as an "insurrection" and pleaded with his Republican colleagues to drop their objections against the Electoral College votes and inform their constituents of Joe Biden's victory in the 2020 election.  

"Now we gather due to a selfish man’s injured pride and the outrage of supporters who he had deliberately misinformed for the past two months and stirred to action this very morning. What happened here today was an insurrection incited by the President of the United States," said the junior senator from Utah, speaking from the Senate floor.

Romney then warned his GOP colleagues, who have continued to mislead about the 2020 election, that they were endangering the health of the American democracy and tarnishing their own legacies.

"Those who choose to continue to support his dangerous gambit by objecting to the results of a legitimate democratic election will forever be seen as being complicit on an unprecedented attack against our democracy," he said. "...They will be remembered for their role in this shameful episode, in American history. That will be their legacy." 

Romney said lawmakers carry a responsibility to stand up for the truth regardless of the political cost. 

"The best way we can show respect for the voters who are upset is by telling them the truth," he said.

"I urge my colleagues to move forward with completing the electoral count, to refrain from further objections and to unanimously affirm the legitimacy of the presidential election," Romney concluded. 

Watch Romney speak:

9:27 p.m. ET, January 6, 2021

Trump told people he banned Pence's chief of staff from the West Wing

From CNN's Kaitlan Collins

Vice President Mike Pence and his Chief of Staff Marc Short stand in the Oval Office before U.S. President Donald Trump departs the White House on January 4, 2021 in Washington, DC.
Vice President Mike Pence and his Chief of Staff Marc Short stand in the Oval Office before U.S. President Donald Trump departs the White House on January 4, 2021 in Washington, DC. Drew Angerer/Getty Images

President Trump told people he banned Vice President Mike Pence’s chief of staff Marc Short from the West Wing today, according to multiple people. 

Short was seen going into the Eisenhower Executive Office Building Wednesday, which is on the White House campus but is a separate building from the White House and where Pence has his Vice Presidential Office, but Short has otherwise spent the day on the Hill. 

9:23 p.m. ET, January 6, 2021

Some Cabinet members holding preliminary talks about invoking 25th Amendment to remove Trump from office

From CNN's Jim Acosta 

Some Cabinet members are holding preliminary discussions about invoking the 25th Amendment to force President Trump’s removal from office, a GOP source said.

The discussions are ongoing but it’s unclear if there will be enough Cabinet members to result in Trump’s removal. 

The conversations have reached the Hill where some senators have been made aware of the discussions, the source said.

9:36 p.m. ET, January 6, 2021

Pelosi: "Justice will be done" to those who desecrated the Capitol

From CNN's Josiah Ryan

In this image from video, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of California, speaks as the House reconvenes after protesters stormed into the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday, January 6.
In this image from video, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of California, speaks as the House reconvenes after protesters stormed into the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday, January 6. House TV/AP

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi struck a defiant tone returning to the House chamber tonight, saying rioters had failed in their mission and assuring they would face justice. 

"To those who strove to tear us from our responsibility, you have failed," she said. "To those who engaged in the gleeful desecration of this, our temple of ... American democracy, justice will be done."

The Democratic leader then assured Americans that the House would continue to be about the people's business, starting tonight with certifying the election of President-elect Joe Biden.

"Despite the shameful actions of today, we still will do so," said Pelosi. "We will be part of a history that shows the world what America is made of."

"Congress has returned to the Capitol," she said. "We always knew that this responsibility would take us into the night. We will stay as long as it takes." 

Watch Pelosi speak:

9:16 p.m. ET, January 6, 2021

Sen. Cory Booker: "We brought this hell upon ourselves"

From CNN's Maureen Chowdhury

Democratic Sen. Cory Booker condemned efforts by rioters to disrupt Congress's electoral vote process.

Booker noted that he could only recall two moments in US history when individuals laid siege on the country's Capitol: The War of 1812 and today.

"What's interesting about the parallel between the two is, they both were waving flags to a sole sovereign, to an individual, surrendering democratic principles to the cult of personality. One was a monarch in England and the other with the flags I saw all over our Capitol — including in the hallways and in this room. To a single person named Donald Trump. The sad difference between these two times is, one was yet another nation in the history of our country that tried to challenge the United States of America. But this time, we brought this hell upon ourselves," Booker said.  

Booker blasted those who were spreading conspiracy theories and false claims about voter fraud perpetuated by President Trump.

"It is unprecedented that he's fanning the flames of conspiracy theory to create a smokescreen in this nation. To cover what he is trying to do, which is undermine our democratic principles. But it is not just that. The shame of of this day —it's being aided and abetted by good Americans who are falling prey, who are choosing Trump over truth," Booker said.

Watch:

9:13 p.m. ET, January 6, 2021

Growing number of Republicans say they believe Trump should be removed from office

From CNN's Michael Warren and Jamie Gangel

After violent pro-Trump protesters stormed the US Capitol on Wednesday, a growing number of Republican leaders told CNN that they believe Donald Trump should be removed from office before Jan. 20. Four of them called for the 25th Amendment to be invoked, and two others said the President should be impeached.

"He has to be impeached and removed," said one current Republican elected official.

A former senior official said the President's actions were egregious enough to remove him even with such a short time left in his tenure.

"I think this has been huge a shock to the system," said the former official. "How do you keep him in place for two weeks after this?"

By impeaching and removing Trump, even at this late stage of his term, the Senate could subsequently vote to disqualify Trump from ever holding federal office again. On the other hand, invoking the 25th Amendment would require Vice President Mike Pence and a majority of the Cabinet to vote to remove Trump from office due to his inability to "discharge the powers and duties of his office" — an unprecedented step.

Keep reading here.

9:06 p.m. ET, January 6, 2021

These 3 White House aides are considering resigning following today's Capitol violence

From CNN's Kaitlan Collins

Several of President Trump's top aides, including national security adviser Robert O'Brien, are considering resigning in the wake of his response to a pro-Trump mob breaching the US Capitol today.

O'Brien, deputy national security adviser Matt Pottinger, and deputy chief of staff Chris Liddell are all considering resigning as soon as tonight, according to multiple sources familiar. Pottinger's resignation appears to be imminent while others could sleep on it. 

Earlier Wednesday, O’Brien took the unusual step of defending Vice President Mike Pence as Trump has been more consumed by his refusal to do his bidding today than the mob that breached Capitol Hill. O'Brien says he showed courage today as Trump lambasted him.

"I just spoke with Vice President Pence. He is a genuinely fine and decent man. He exhibited courage today as he did at the Capitol on 9/11 as a Congressman. I am proud to serve with him," O'Brien said.
9:34 p.m. ET, January 6, 2021

GOP senator: We don't "want to tell our kids that America's best days are behind us"

From CNN's Josiah Ryan

In this image from video, Sen. Ben Sasse, R-Neb, speaks as the Senate reconvenes after protesters stormed into the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday, January 6.
In this image from video, Sen. Ben Sasse, R-Neb, speaks as the Senate reconvenes after protesters stormed into the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday, January 6. Source: Senate TV/AP

Republican Sen. Ben Sasse this evening took to the Senate floor to ask his fellow Americans to remember what is great about their country, even after the day's harrowing events.

"I don't think we want to tell our kids that America's best days are behind us because it is not true," said Sasse. "That's not who we are." 

"There is a lot that's broken in this country but not anything that is so big that the American people cannot rebuild it," he continued. "That freedom, and community, and entrepreneurial effort and that neighborhoods can't rebuild, nothing that is broken is so big that we cannot fix it."

"America, is the most exceptional nation in the history of the world and the Constitution is the greatest political document that has ever been written," he said. 

Sasse concluded with a call for Americans to love each other.

"Most importantly, love your neighbor," he said.

Watch: