Senator Kelly Loeffler reversed course following the riots at the Capitol, accepting rather than objecting as promised to the Electoral College certification. Her acceptance of the results also followed her projected loss to Democratic candidate Raphael Warnock in their runoff election.
Loeffler shared that the protestors who breached the barricaded Capitol grounds and infiltrated the Capitol itself were the reason why she changed her decision.
“When I arrived in Washington this morning, I fully intended to object to the certification of the electoral votes. however the events that have transpired today have forced me to reconsider,” explained Loeffler. “I cannot now, in good conscience, object to the certification of these electors. The violence, the lawlessness, and siege of the halls of Congress are abhorrent and stand as a direct attack on the very institution my objection was intended to protect: the sanctity of the American democratic process. And I thank law enforcement for keeping us safe.”
Loeffler conceded that she still viewed various aspects of the general election to be problematic. However, Loeffler added that those realities weren’t justification for the protestors’ behavior.
“I believe that there were last-minute changes to the November 2020 election process and serious irregularities that resulted in too many Americans losing confidence not only in the integrity of our elections but in the power of our ballot as a tool of our democracy,” stated Loeffler. “Too many Americans are frustrated at what they see as an unfair system. Nevertheless there is no excuse for the events that took place in these chambers today and I pray that America never suffers such a dark day again.”
Loeffler finished with a request that the surrounding legislators make it a point to enhance security and restore confidence in elections.
“Though the fate of this vote is clear, the future of the American people’s faith in the core institution of this democracy remains uncertain. We as a body must turn our focus to protecting the integrity of our elections and restoring every American’s faith that their voice and their vote matters,” declared Loeffler. “America is a divided country with serious differences, but it still is the greatest country on earth. There can be no disagreement that upholding democracy is the only path to preserving our Republic.”
The Georgia Star News reached out to Loeffler’s campaign for further clarification about her decision. Her spokespersons didn’t respond by press time.
Riots broke out on Capitol grounds at around 1 p.m. EST, when protestors pushed through barriers and police. Sometime after 2 p.m., reports emerged that protestors had breached the Capitol building. Not long after, House members were evacuated and protestors entered the Senate floor. Around 3 p.m., police and protestors engaged in an armed standoff outside the House front door. Half an hour later, police began clearing protestors from the Senate floor and out of the building. Between 5 and 6 p.m., officers pushed the mob back away from Capitol grounds. The sergeant-at-arms confirmed that the Capitol building was secure just before the citywide emergency curfew began at 6 p.m.
The process of certifying the electoral votes resumed around 8 p.m.
Several reports alleged that law enforcement identified several key rioters within and surrounding the Capitol as Antifa actors. Some investigators have alleged through photo comparisons that among those who broke into the Capitol were Antifa or Black Lives Matter (BLM) activists. These reports sparked a trending theory that a majority of the Capitol grounds rioters were either Antifa or BLM actors.
Other verifiable claims – including the viral claim asserting the painted man wearing the horn fur cap was Antifa – have identified Trump supporters as the main portion of protestors who breached Capitol grounds.
One woman, Ashli Babbitt, was a Trump supporter shot in the neck by police within the Capitol. She died hours later at a local hospital. Three other individuals – one other woman and two men – died in the area of the rally. Their deaths were reported as a result of separate medical emergencies unrelated to the rioting.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Metropolitan Police Department of the District of Columbia have both asked for the public’s assistance in offering tips and identifying the rioters that broke into the Capitol.
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Corinne Murdock is a reporter at The Georgia Star News and the Star News Network. Follow her latest on Twitter, or email tips to [email protected].
Good riddance. GA got what it deserved a fraudulent election.
We need a constitutional amendment requiring anyone holding a public to also have a back bone?