Pat Kessler Returns To Cover 'One Of The Most Unreal Moments In American History'
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Top Republicans and Democrats alike are blaming President Donald Trump for inciting violence -- and formal proceeding to invoke the 25th Amendment may be in the works, which would remove him from office, as unfit.
On this day, for 230 years, the United States has demonstrated to the world a peaceful transition of power. But as recently as Wednesday morning, President Trump refused to concede that he lost the election or commit to a peaceful transfer of power.
For months, he has pushed false election conspiracy theories rejected by voters, by state officials, and by the courts. Republican leaders have supported his false claims that the election was rigged or stolen. They have challenged the election of Joe Biden as president, giving people false hope that the election could be overturned.
"We will never give up, we will never concede," Trump said Wednesday. "It doesn't happen. You don't concede when there's theft involved."
On Wednesday afternoon, a raucous protest turned into a violent and destructive riot at the U.S. Capitol. And for hours, President Trump did nothing to stop it. This has never happened in America, and is one of the most unreal moments in American history. In fact, this was the first violent mass insurrection attack on the Capitol building since the British attacked it in 1814.
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Pro-Trump rioters assaulted the symbol of American liberty, stopping the Congress from officially naming the new president. There were shocking scenes of a mob breaking and entering the House and Senate chambers in Trump's name, threatening elected representatives from performing their sacred duties.
And the rioters did not face the same show of force from police as Black Lives Matter protesters in cities all across the country this summer, including Minneapolis.
Trump has recently made vague threats about civil unrest on Twitter, which deleted several incendiary tweets Wednesday, and temporarily suspended his account -- as did Facebook and Instagram.
All of the chaos didn't stop Congress from doing its job. Democrats and Republicans met later Wednesday night to finish the work the Constitution requires them to do: the roll call of state electors, and officially declaring Joe Biden as the next President of the United States.