Author: PolitCens

It was a scene Americans never expected to see in their own country, as a riotous mob pushed into the U.S. Capitol building. Michelle Quinn reports.
Producer: Matt Dibble
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U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Washington is considering sanctions and other restrictions on those involved in the arrest of more than 50 people in Hong Kong and warned it could target the territory’s economic and trade office in the United States.In a move likely to further rile Beijing, Pompeo announced in the same statement that U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Kelly Craft would visit Chinese-claimed Taiwan, which is not a UN member due to China’s objections.Pompeo also said he was “appalled” by the arrest of an American citizen as part of Wednesday’s crackdown and added: “The United States will not tolerate the arbitrary detention or harassment of U.S. citizens.”Hong Kong police arrested 53 people in dawn raids on democracy activists on Wednesday in the biggest crackdown since China last year imposed a security law which opponents say is aimed at quashing dissent in the former British colony.Among those detained was American lawyer John Clancey, a source at his firm said.Pompeo called the arrests an “outrage and a reminder of the Chinese Communist Party’s contempt for its own people and the rule of law.”“The United States will consider sanctions and other restrictions on any and all individuals and entities involved in executing this assault on the Hong Kong people,” Pompeo said.He said it would also “explore restrictions against the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in the United States, and take additional immediate actions against officials who have undermined Hong Kong’s democratic processes.”Pompeo’s statement came after a day of turmoil in Washington that saw supporters of U.S. President Donald Trump storm the U.S. Capitol in a bid to overturn his November election defeat.Lawmakers on both sides denounced the action by Trump’s supporters and called it an embarrassment to American democracy that would play into the hands of rivals like China.“It kind of bolsters their claim that we’re falling apart and they’re the country of the future,” Republican Sen. Marco Rubio, a China hawk, told Tucker Carlson on the Fox News channel.On Wednesday, the Chinese embassy in Washington issued an advisory on its website, warning Chinese citizens to strengthen safety precautions in light of the “large-scale demonstration” in Washington and the curfew announced by the local government.Trump has pursued hardline policies towards China on issues ranging from trade to espionage and the coronavirus and his administration has imposed sanctions on Chinese officials for crushing Hong Kong’s pro-democracy movement and other alleged rights abuses.
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Democrats have won control of the U.S. Senate — and Congress as a whole — after scoring a pair of wins in Tuesday’s Senate runoff races that drew the attention of the nation. VOA Congressional Correspondent Katherine Gypson reports from Atlanta, Georgia, on the consequences for the Biden presidency. Producers: Katherine Gypson, Adam Greenbaum. Camera: Adam Greenbaum.
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George W. Bush, the only living Republican former president, condemned Wednesday’s “violent assault” on the U.S. Capitol, where a pro-Trump riot forced a recess and resulted in one confirmed fatality as lawmakers were certifying President-elect Joe Biden’s victory.“I am appalled by the reckless behavior of some political leaders since the election and by the lack of respect shown today for our institutions, our traditions, and our law enforcement,” Bush wrote in a prepared statement.“The violent assault on the Capitol — and disruption of a Constitutionally mandated meeting of Congress — was undertaken by people whose passions have been inflamed by falsehoods and false hopes,” he went on, without specifically naming Trump.Bush was one of a number of prominent Republicans who condemned the actions of the pro-Trump mob Wednesday.“Violence has absolutely no place in our democracy,” national security adviser Robert O’Brien said Wednesday.“Our country is better than what we saw today at our Capitol.”“I am outraged by the lawless protests that unfolded at the United States Capitol today,” Oklahoma Congressman Tom Cole wrote in a statement. “While Americans have the right to passionately voice their views and peacefully dissent in protest, I strongly condemn the perpetrators of this destructive and violent activity.”Among Democrats, former President Barack Obama blamed the violence directly on President Donald Trump and on members of his Republican Party who have endorsed his false claims of election victory and his calls for resolute action to keep him in office.“Republican leaders have a choice made clear in the desecrated chambers of democracy,” Obama said. “They can continue down this road and keep stoking the raging fires. Or they can choose reality and take the first steps toward extinguishing the flames. They can choose America.”House Speaker Nancy Pelosi called Wednesday’s mob a “shameful assault” on American democracy.Today’s shameful assault on our democracy — anointed at the highest level of government — must not deter us from our responsibility to the Constitution. Tonight, we will move forward with the certification of President-elect Joe Biden’s election.— Nancy Pelosi (@SpeakerPelosi) January 7, 2021A number of Democrats called for articles of impeachment against Trump on Wednesday evening, accusing him of inciting violence.While Trump did tell his supporters to “go home” in a video message, he did not condemn their actions and reiterated his unsubstantiated claims that the election was stolen from him. The video was later removed by Facebook and YouTube, while Twitter suspended his account, citing misinformation about the election and incitement of violence.“Let’s be clear about what happened here. The President of the United States sent a mob of domestic terrorists down Pennsylvania Avenue to attack and take over the U.S. Capitol in order to stop the certification of an election that he lost badly,” Representative Earl Blumenauer of Oregon wrote in a statement.Blumenauer was one of over a dozen lawmakers calling for articles of impeachment or removing Trump from office Wednesday evening.
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U.S. Capitol Police ordered a lockdown Wednesday across the Capitol Complex, citing an external security threat, as thousands of Trump supporters stormed the building to protest Congress’ certification of Joe Biden’s presidential victory.The Senate entered into recess as it was proceeding to certify the electoral college votes for Biden, and Vice President Mike Pence reportedly was ushered out of the building by the Secret Service via underground tunnels.Sorry, but your browser cannot support embedded video of this type, you can
download this video to view it offline.Download File360p | 1 MBOriginal | 1 MB Embed” />Copy Download AudioCapitol police respond after pro-Trump mob breaches Capitol building during joint session of Congress.Video footage circulating on social media and American media showed Trump supporters breaching police lines outside of Congress and wandering through the Capitol building. TV news reports said tear gas was deployed as some protesters tried to break down the doors of the House chamber.Protesters gesture to U.S. Capitol Police in the hallway outside of the Senate chamber at the Capitol in Washington, Jan. 6, 2021, near the Ohio Clock.The election certification is usually a routine and ceremonial function that is the final step after the Electoral College officially elected Biden on December 14, but the certification was contested by a few GOP members of Congress.As large crowds gathered at the Capitol building and clashed with police, President Donald Trump tweeted for them to “support Capitol police and law enforcement” and “stay peaceful.”Sorry, but your browser cannot support embedded video of this type, you can
Trump supporters try to break through a police barrier, Jan. 6, 2021, at the Capitol in Washington.In a letter released shortly after these remarks, Pence declined to vote against the electoral college.“It is my considered judgment that my oath to support and defend the Constitution constrains me from claiming unilateral authority to determine which electoral votes should be counted and which should not,” he wrote.Trump’s supporters, including some groups that clashed with police, started gathering in Washington Tuesday night. Authorities said they arrested at least six people on charges that included weapons and ammunition possession, assaulting a police officer and possessing a stun gun.Washington’s streets were shut down, and Mayor Muriel Bowser called in the National Guard, fearing a repeat of sometimes-violent confrontations between protest groups the city experienced last year. Downtown shops have been boarded up, and National Guard members assisted District of Columbia and National Park police in controlling crowds Wednesday.Bowser and politicians in neighboring Maryland and Virginia urged residents to stay home Wednesday and avoid counterprotests.    
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Democrat Jon Ossoff claimed victory in the second of two special run-off votes in Georgia on Wednesday, giving the Democrats control of the U.S. Senate.The Rev. Raphael Warnock was named winner of the other Senate runoff race in the U.S. state of Georgia late Tuesday. Warnock also became the first Black Democrat to win a Senate seat in a former Confederate state.  
 
Warnock, the pastor of an Atlanta, Georgia, church once led by civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr., defeated Republican incumbent Kelly Loeffler in a race that was called by Edison Research and the Associated Press early Wednesday after the candidates exchanged leads overnight.
 
The race between Ossoff and Republican Senator David Perdue was too close to call for much of the day. Ossoff, a former congressional aide and television documentary producer, had claimed victory early Wednesday but the race was too close to declare a winner at that time.
 
The victory gives Democrats full control of Congress, raising the possibility that President-elect Joe Biden and Democratic lawmakers could more easily enact their legislative agenda.
 
Warnock and Ossoff needed heavy turnout from African American voters, as did Biden two months ago, when his popularity with Black voters and other groups allowed him to capture Georgia’s 16 electoral votes by almost 12,000 out of 5 million votes cast.
 
Warnock’s win also crystalizes a yearslong political shift in Georgia, where growing numbers of minorities and college-educated residents have helped turn the state from a longtime Republican stronghold into a swing state.  
 
“Georgia is in such an incredible place when you think of the arc of our history,” Warnock said Wednesday on ABC’s Good Morning America. “This is the reversal of the old Southern strategy that sought to divide people.”
 
President-elect Biden was quick to commend Warnock and Ossoff on Wednesday.FILE – Democratic candidate for the U.S. Senate from Georgia Jon Ossoff speaks after voting early in Atlanta, Dec. 22, 2020.“I congratulate the people of Georgia, who turned out in record numbers once again, just as they did in November, to elect two new senators, demand action, and call on our elected leaders to end the gridlock and move us forward as a nation,” Biden said in a statement.
 
Going into Tuesday’s voting, Republicans controlled the 100-seat Senate with a 50-48 advantage, needing to win one of the Georgia contests to keep their majority and act as a bulwark against Biden’s legislative proposals after he is inaugurated January 20.  
 
The wins by Ossoff and Warnock give Democrats a 50-50 split with Republicans and a chance for Vice President-elect Kamala Harris, who will be able to preside over Senate proceedings when she chooses, to cast tie-breaking votes in Democrats’ favor.   
   
Democrats already narrowly control the House of Representatives. With Democratic control of both houses of Congress, Biden would likely offer more sweeping proposals to bolster health care in the United States, tighten environmental controls that were eased during the four-year tenure of Trump and try to make it easier for immigrants to gain U.S. citizenship.    
   
Conversely, Republican control of the Senate would make Biden’s political life more difficult and likely force protracted negotiations between his administration and Republican lawmakers on contentious issues.    
   
The controlling party in the chamber also sets the legislative calendar, determining which issues are voted on while also holding a majority on each of the Senate’s issue-specific committees where potential laws are first considered.    
   
The Perdue-Ossoff and Loeffler-Warnock contests were made necessary because none of the four candidates won a majority in the first round of voting in November.    Voters are seen lined up for the U.S. Senate run-off election, at a polling location in Marietta, Georgia, Jan. 5, 2021.Voter turnout was robust on Tuesday, with long lines of voters snaking into polling places, and came after nearly 3.1 million people cast ballots before the official Election Day. Five million votes were cast in Georgia in the November balloting that included Biden’s race against Trump.  
Trump has repeatedly claimed without evidence that he was defrauded out of winning the state, pleading in an extraordinary phone call last weekend with Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger to find him 11,780 more votes – enough to upend the Biden win by a single vote. But Raffensperger, a Republican, rebuffed Trump, saying he was “just plain wrong” in contending he was cheated out of a victory in the state.    
 U.S. President Donald Trump holds a rally to contest the certification of the 2020 U.S. presidential election results by the U.S. Congress in Washington, Jan. 6, 2021.Trump continued to make false claims Wednesday, tweeting that Georgia elections officials “just happened to find 50,000 ballots late last night. The USA is embarrassed by fools. Our Election Process is worse than that of third world countries.”  
 
Georgia election official Gabe Sterling dismissed Trump’s claims, declaring Wednesday there is “no evidence of any irregularities” in Tuesday’s election. “The biggest thing we’ve seen is from the president’s fertile mind of finding fraud where none exists.”  
 
Election Day exit polls conducted by Edison Research indicated about seven in 10 Georgia voters were confident that the votes in Tuesday’s runoff elections would be counted accurately. Democrats were far more confident than Republicans.  
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Control of the U.S. Senate hung in the balance Wednesday with the result of one of two runoff elections in the southern state of Georgia still too close to call.Democrats moved closer to regaining control of the chamber with the Rev. Raphael Warnock’s projected defeat of Sen. Kelly Loeffler in one of Tuesday’s elections.U.S. media organizations called the race with Warnock leading Loeffler by more than 40,000 votes and nearly all ballots counted.“We were told that we couldn’t win this election, but tonight we proved that with hope, hard work and the people by our side, anything is possible,” Warnock said in a message to his supporters late Tuesday.In the second election, Democrat Jon Ossoff, a television documentary producer, led by more than 12,000 votes over Republican David Perdue, who was seeking a second six-year term in office.Sorry, but your browser cannot support embedded video of this type, you can
download this video to view it offline.Download File360p | 12 MB480p | 17 MB540p | 23 MB720p | 49 MB1080p | 92 MBOriginal | 258 MB Embed” />Copy Download AudioGeorgia Voters Determine Prospects for Biden PresidencyGoing into Tuesday’s voting, Republicans controlled the 100-seat Senate with a 50-48 advantage, needing to win one of the Georgia contests to keep their majority and act as a bulwark against Democratic President-elect Joe Biden’s legislative proposals after he is inaugurated January 20.With Warnock’s victory, an Ossoff win would give Democrats a 50-50 split with Republicans and a chance for Vice President-elect Kamala Harris, who will be able to preside over Senate proceedings when she chooses, to cast tie-breaking votes in the Democrats’ favor.Democrats already narrowly control the House of Representatives.  With Democratic control of both houses of Congress, Biden would likely offer more sweeping proposals to bolster health care in the United States, tighten environmental controls that were eased during the four-year tenure of President Donald Trump and try to make it easier for immigrants to gain U.S. citizenship.Conversely, Republican control of the Senate would make Biden’s political life more difficult and likely force protracted negotiations between his administration and Republican lawmakers on contentious issues.The controlling party in the chamber also sets the legislative calendar, determining which issues are voted on while also holding a majority on each of the Senate’s issue-specific committees where potential laws are first considered.The Perdue-Ossoff and Loeffler-Warnock contests were made necessary because none of the four candidates won a majority in the first round of voting in November.Understanding US Senate Runoff Elections in GeorgiaEight things you need to know about the elections that will decide who controls the US SenateVoter turnout
Voter turnout was robust on Tuesday, with long lines of voters snaking into polling places, and came after nearly 3.1 million people cast ballots before the official Election Day. Five million votes were cast in Georgia in the November balloting that included Biden’s race against Trump.The overall vote count in U.S. runoff elections usually lags general elections, but about 100,000 people who did not vote in November in Georgia cast ballots in the Senate runoffs even before the official Election Day.In the November vote, Biden became the first Democratic presidential candidate to win in Georgia since 1992.Trump has repeatedly claimed without evidence that he was defrauded out of winning the state, pleading in an extraordinary phone call last weekend with Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger to find him 11,780 more votes – enough to upend the Biden win by a single vote. But Raffensperger, a Republican, rebuffed Trump, saying he was “just plain wrong” in contending he was cheated out of a victory in the state.Loeffler said she would support Trump’s challenge to Biden’s victory in Georgia when a joint session of Congress meets Wednesday to certify Biden’s 306-232 victory in the Electoral College, which determines the outcome of U.S. presidential elections rather than the national popular vote.Election Day exit polls conducted by Edison Research indicated about seven in 10 Georgia voters were confident that the votes in Tuesday’s runoff elections would be counted accurately. Democrats were far more confident than Republicans.Biden, Trump rallies
Both Biden and Trump held rallies Monday in Georgia in a final attempt to persuade voters.“The power is literally in your hands,” Biden said. “Unlike any time in my career, one state, one state, can chart the course, not just for the next four years, but for the next generation.”He said Georgians had voted in record numbers in the presidential election in November. “Now, we need you to vote again in record numbers,” he said.Trump campaigned Monday in a heavily Republican enclave in Dalton in the northern part of the state, telling supporters the election could be their “last chance to save the America that we love.”“The far left wants to destroy our country, demolish our history and erase everything that we hold dear,” Trump said. “This could be the most important vote you will ever cast for the rest of your life.” 
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Former President Jimmy Carter and former first lady Rosalynn Carter will not attend President-elect Joe Biden’s inauguration. It marks the first time the couple, 96 and 93, will have missed the ceremonies since Carter was sworn in as the 39th president in 1977.
A spokeswoman at The Carter Center in Atlanta said the Carters have sent Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris their “best wishes” and “look forward to a successful administration.”
Biden was a young Delaware senator and Carter ally during the Georgian’s term in the White House.
The Carters have spent the coronavirus pandemic mostly at their home in Plains, Georgia, where both were raised and where they returned after leaving the White House in 1981.Bushes will attend
Separately, former President George W. Bush and his wife Laura will attend the inauguration in person. Their spokesman, Freddy Ford, said, “President and Mrs. Bush look forward to returning to the Capitol for the swearing in of President Biden and Vice President Harris.”
The announcement from Bush, a Republican, came a day before Congress was scheduled to convene for a joint session to confirm the Electoral College vote won by Biden. President Donald Trump’s Republican allies in the House and Senate plan to object to the election results, a longshot effort that is all but certain to fail.
The Bushes also attended Trump’s 2017 inauguration. Ford added that “witnessing the peaceful transfer of power is a hallmark of our democracy that never gets old.”
Carter, a Democrat, became the longest-lived American president in March 2019, surpassing former President George H.W. Bush, who died the previous November. Carter survived a melanoma diagnosis that spread to his brain in 2015. He has since had several falls and hip replacement surgery. He no longer teaches Sunday School at Maranatha Baptist Church in Plains, as he had for decades, but still participates in church activities via video amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Carter was the first former president to confirm his plans to attend Trump’s inauguration in 2017. The Carters were seated on the aisle, next to former President Bill Clinton and Hillary Clinton, and former President George W. Bush and Laura Bush. The elder Bush was the lone former president at the time who did not attend Trump’s inauguration. The Carters did travel to Washington for the elder Bush’s funeral.
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Control of the U.S. Senate hung in the balance Wednesday with the result of one of two runoff elections in the southern state of Georgia still too close to call.Democrats moved closer to regaining control of the chamber with the Rev. Raphael Warnock’s projected defeat of Sen. Kelly Loeffler in one of Tuesday’s elections.U.S. media organizations called the race with Warnock leading Loeffler by more than 40,000 votes and nearly all ballots counted.“We were told that we couldn’t win this election, but tonight we proved that with hope, hard work and the people by our side, anything is possible,” Warnock said in a message to his supporters late Tuesday.In the second election, Democrat Jon Ossoff, a television documentary producer, led by more than 12,000 votes over Republican David Perdue, who was seeking a second six-year term in office.Sorry, but your browser cannot support embedded video of this type, you can
download this video to view it offline.Download File360p | 12 MB480p | 17 MB540p | 23 MB720p | 49 MB1080p | 92 MBOriginal | 258 MB Embed” />Copy Download AudioGeorgia Voters Determine Prospects for Biden PresidencyGoing into Tuesday’s voting, Republicans controlled the 100-seat Senate with a 50-48 advantage, needing to win one of the Georgia contests to keep their majority and act as a bulwark against Democratic President-elect Joe Biden’s legislative proposals after he is inaugurated January 20.With Warnock’s victory, an Ossoff win would give Democrats a 50-50 split with Republicans and a chance for Vice President-elect Kamala Harris, who will be able to preside over Senate proceedings when she chooses, to cast tie-breaking votes in the Democrats’ favor.Democrats already narrowly control the House of Representatives.  With Democratic control of both houses of Congress, Biden would likely offer more sweeping proposals to bolster health care in the United States, tighten environmental controls that were eased during the four-year tenure of President Donald Trump and try to make it easier for immigrants to gain U.S. citizenship.Conversely, Republican control of the Senate would make Biden’s political life more difficult and likely force protracted negotiations between his administration and Republican lawmakers on contentious issues.The controlling party in the chamber also sets the legislative calendar, determining which issues are voted on while also holding a majority on each of the Senate’s issue-specific committees where potential laws are first considered.The Perdue-Ossoff and Loeffler-Warnock contests were made necessary because none of the four candidates won a majority in the first round of voting in November.Understanding US Senate Runoff Elections in GeorgiaEight things you need to know about the elections that will decide who controls the US SenateVoter turnout
Voter turnout was robust on Tuesday, with long lines of voters snaking into polling places, and came after nearly 3.1 million people cast ballots before the official Election Day. Five million votes were cast in Georgia in the November balloting that included Biden’s race against Trump.The overall vote count in U.S. runoff elections usually lags general elections, but about 100,000 people who did not vote in November in Georgia cast ballots in the Senate runoffs even before the official Election Day.In the November vote, Biden became the first Democratic presidential candidate to win in Georgia since 1992.Trump has repeatedly claimed without evidence that he was defrauded out of winning the state, pleading in an extraordinary phone call last weekend with Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger to find him 11,780 more votes – enough to upend the Biden win by a single vote. But Raffensperger, a Republican, rebuffed Trump, saying he was “just plain wrong” in contending he was cheated out of a victory in the state.Loeffler said she would support Trump’s challenge to Biden’s victory in Georgia when a joint session of Congress meets Wednesday to certify Biden’s 306-232 victory in the Electoral College, which determines the outcome of U.S. presidential elections rather than the national popular vote.Election Day exit polls conducted by Edison Research indicated about seven in 10 Georgia voters were confident that the votes in Tuesday’s runoff elections would be counted accurately. Democrats were far more confident than Republicans.Biden, Trump rallies
Both Biden and Trump held rallies Monday in Georgia in a final attempt to persuade voters.“The power is literally in your hands,” Biden said. “Unlike any time in my career, one state, one state, can chart the course, not just for the next four years, but for the next generation.”He said Georgians had voted in record numbers in the presidential election in November. “Now, we need you to vote again in record numbers,” he said.Trump campaigned Monday in a heavily Republican enclave in Dalton in the northern part of the state, telling supporters the election could be their “last chance to save the America that we love.”“The far left wants to destroy our country, demolish our history and erase everything that we hold dear,” Trump said. “This could be the most important vote you will ever cast for the rest of your life.” 
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Voting in the Southern U.S. state of Georgia ended Tuesday, where two crucial runoff races will determine which party holds the majority in the U.S. Senate. VOA’s congressional correspondent Katherine Gypson reports from Atlanta, Georgia, where the races are close.
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Two pivotal U.S. Senate runoff elections in the Southern state of Georgia were too close to call Tuesday night.The outcomes of the closely watched contests will determine political control in the Senate during the first two years of President-elect Joe Biden’s term in the White House. But with roughly 98% of the vote counted in the two contests, no one was claiming victory or conceding defeat, although the votes left to be counted appeared to be in regions of the state with a heavy Democratic voter turnout.   In one contest, Republican Sen. David Perdue, seeking a second six-year term in office, held a slim edge over Democrat Jon Ossoff, a television documentary producer. In the other election, a Democrat, the Rev. Raphael Warnock, a Baptist minister, pulled ahead of Republican Sen. Kelly Loeffler, one of the wealthiest lawmakers in Congress.  The vote counts were fluctuating throughout the evening, with the Democrats faring well when the votes were counted in the state’s major cities and the Republicans making substantial gains in smaller communities and rural areas.Currently, Republicans control the 100-seat Senate with a 50-48 advantage, needing to win one of the two Georgia contests to maintain their advantage and act as a bulwark against Biden’s legislative proposals after he is inaugurated January 20.  WATCH: VOA Reports from GeorgiaSorry, but your browser cannot support embedded video of this type, you can
A voter casts a ballot during Georgia’s Senate runoff elections, in Atlanta, Jan. 5, 2021.That was the scenario that played out in November in Georgia and across the country when substantially more Democrats voted early, while more Republicans voted in person on the actual election day. Because the advance votes take longer to count, Trump appeared to be ahead in Georgia on election night before Biden pulled ahead and won the state. An initial vote count and two recounts confirmed Biden’s narrow edge in the state.Both Biden and Trump held rallies Monday in Georgia in a final attempt to persuade voters.“The power is literally in your hands,” Biden said. “Unlike any time in my career, one state, one state, can chart the course, not just for the next four years, but for the next generation.”He said Georgians had voted in record numbers in the presidential election in November. “Now, we need you to vote again in record numbers,” he said.Trump campaigned Monday in a heavily Republican enclave in Dalton in the northern part of the state, telling supporters the election could be their “last chance to save the America that we love.”“The far left wants to destroy our country, demolish our history and erase everything that we hold dear,” Trump said. “This could be the most important vote you will ever cast for the rest of your life.” Sorry, but your browser cannot support embedded video of this type, you can
download this video to view it offline.Download File360p | 4 MB480p | 6 MB540p | 7 MB720p | 14 MB1080p | 32 MBOriginal | 46 MB Embed” />Copy Download AudioMonday ralliesBoth Biden and Trump held rallies Monday in Georgia in a final attempt to persuade voters. “The power is literally in your hands,” Biden said. “Unlike any time in my career, one state, one state, can chart the course, not just for the next four years, but for the next generation.” He said Georgians had voted in record numbers in the presidential election in November. “Now, we need you to vote again in record numbers,” he said. Trump campaigned Monday in a heavily Republican enclave in Dalton in the northern part of the state, telling supporters the election could be their “last chance to save the America that we love.” “The far left wants to destroy our country, demolish our history and erase everything that we hold dear,” Trump said. “This could be the most important vote you will ever cast for the rest of your life.” 
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Polls closed and vote-counting started Tuesday night in two pivotal U.S. Senate runoff elections in the southern state of Georgia that will determine political control in the Senate during the first two years of President-elect Joe Biden’s term in the White House. Republican Senator David Perdue faced a challenge from Democrat Jon Ossoff, a television documentary producer, while Republican Senator Kelly Loeffler, one of the wealthiest lawmakers in Congress, was opposed by the Rev. Raphael Warnock, a Baptist minister. Pre-election polls showed tight contests, with the Democrats holding slight leads. At the moment, Republicans control the 100-seat Senate with a 50-48 advantage, needing to win one of the two Georgia contests to maintain their advantage and act as a bulwark against Biden’s legislative proposals after he is inaugurated January 20. Victories for Ossoff and Warnock would give Democrats a 50-50 split with Republicans and a chance for Vice President-elect Kamala Harris, who will be able to preside over Senate proceedings when she chooses, to cast tie-breaking votes in the Democrats’ favor. WATCH: VOA Reports from GeorgiaSorry, but your browser cannot support embedded video of this type, you can
download this video to view it offline.Download File360p | 4 MB480p | 5 MB540p | 7 MB720p | 11 MB1080p | 24 MBOriginal | 33 MB Embed” />Copy Download AudioWith Democratic control, Biden would likely offer more sweeping proposals to bolster health care in the U.S., tighten environmental controls that were eased during the four-year tenure of President Donald Trump and try to make it easier for immigrants to gain U.S. citizenship. Conversely, Republican control of the Senate would make Biden’s political life more difficult and likely force protracted negotiations between his administration and Republican lawmakers on contentious issues. The controlling party in the chamber also sets the legislative calendar determining which issues are voted on, and would hold a majority on each of the Senate’s issue-specific committees where potential laws are first considered. The Perdue-Ossoff and Loeffler-Warnock contests were made necessary because none of the four candidates won a majority in the first round of voting in November. Voter turnout was robust on Tuesday, with long lines of voters snaking into polling places, and came after nearly 3.1 million people voted before the official Election Day. Five million votes were cast in Georgia in the November balloting that included Biden’s race against Trump. The overall vote count in U.S. runoff elections usually lags behind general elections, but about 100,000 people who did not vote in November in Georgia cast ballots in the Senate runoffs even before the official Election Day. Sorry, but your browser cannot support embedded video of this type, you can
Fraud allegations Trump has repeatedly claimed without evidence that he was defrauded out of winning the state, pleading in an extraordinary phone call last weekend with Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger to find him 11,780 more votes – enough to upend the Biden win by a single vote. But Raffensperger, a Republican, rebuffed Trump, saying Trump was “just plain wrong” in contending he was cheated out of a victory in the state.  Loeffler said she would support Trump’s challenge to Biden’s victory in Georgia when a joint session of Congress meets Wednesday to certify Biden’s 306-232 victory in the Electoral College, which determines the outcome of U.S. presidential elections rather than the national popular vote. Election Day exit polls conducted by Edison Research showed that about seven in 10 Georgia voters were confident that the votes in Tuesday’s runoff elections would be counted accurately. Democrats were far more confident than Republicans. The polling showed that more than nine in 10 Democrats said they were at least somewhat confident of an accurate vote count, Edison reported, compared with about half of Republicans and seven in 10 independents. Even with the possible edge Democrats might have piled up in the early voting in Georgia, Republicans said they expected to do much better with in-person voting on Tuesday. That was the scenario that played out in November in Georgia and across the country when substantially more Democrats voted early, while more Republicans voted in person on the actual Election Day. Because the advance votes take longer to count, Trump appeared to be ahead in Georgia on election night before Biden pulled ahead and won the state. An initial vote count and two recounts confirmed Biden’s narrow edge in the state. Sorry, but your browser cannot support embedded video of this type, you can
download this video to view it offline.Download File360p | 4 MB480p | 6 MB540p | 7 MB720p | 14 MB1080p | 32 MBOriginal | 46 MB Embed” />Copy Download AudioMonday ralliesBoth Biden and Trump held rallies Monday in Georgia in a final attempt to persuade voters. “The power is literally in your hands,” Biden said. “Unlike any time in my career, one state, one state, can chart the course, not just for the next four years, but for the next generation.” He said Georgians had voted in record numbers in the presidential election in November. “Now, we need you to vote again in record numbers,” he said. Trump campaigned Monday in a heavily Republican enclave in Dalton in the northern part of the state, telling supporters the election could be their “last chance to save the America that we love.” “The far left wants to destroy our country, demolish our history and erase everything that we hold dear,” Trump said. “This could be the most important vote you will ever cast for the rest of your life.” 
 
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Lawmakers from the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives are scheduled to meet Wednesday in a joint session of Congress to count and certify electoral votes based on the result of the November presidential election.  This usually routine and ceremonial function — a final step after the Electoral College officially elected Joe Biden on December 14 — has turned into a litmus test of Republican lawmakers’ loyalty to President Donald Trump. More than 100 Trump loyalists are set to challenge certification.  Here’s what we can expect from the meeting.  What usually happens?  Under the FILE – Vice President Mike Pence, center, applauds after NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, left, addressed a Joint Meeting of Congress on Capitol Hill in Washington, April 3, 2019.Senate pages — high school students from all 50 states — bring mahogany wood boxes filled with the sealed envelopes of certified electoral votes from the 50 states. The presiding officer opens and presents sealed certificates in alphabetical order of the states. The appointed “tellers” from each chamber read each certificate out loud to officially record and count the votes.  The process continues until all the votes are announced and counted. The presiding officer then announces who has won the majority votes for both president and vice president.    What is expected to happen?  In a last-ditch attempt to keep Trump in the White House, more than a hundred Republican House members and a dozen senators have said they plan to object to the electoral college tally from some or all of six swing states won by Biden — Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin — and demand that a commission be established to audit the election results.  FILE – Members of Arizona’s Electoral College stand as they take a photo with signed commemorative copies of the Arizona Presidential Electoral Ballot after casting their votes in the Arizona Electoral College, in Phoenix, Dec. 14, 2020.Most of the senators who plan to object represent states where Trump remains very popular. Their objections are expected to fail as Democrats control the House and are unified in their support for Biden. The Senate, although narrowly controlled by the Republicans, is not likely to vote in favor either, with several GOP senators already stating they are against throwing out any state’s certified election result.  Still, with two hours of debate permitted for each objection, plus the time needed for votes in each chamber, the typically short ceremony will likely turn into a prolonged event.  Jason Grumet, president of the Bipartisan Policy Center, called the Republican lawmakers’ move “incredibly troubling.”  “It is not conservative, it is not partisan, it is not patriotic,” Grumet said. “It is simply a self-interested effort by some ambitious politicians to challenge the outcome of an election, which by all accounts was conducted exceptionally well.”  The Trump campaign and the president’s allies have launched 61 lawsuits challenging the results of the election in a number of states. They have lost 60, after failing to provide evidence supporting their claims of widespread fraud.  What is the president’s role in this?  Trump, who won 232 Electoral College votes compared to Biden’s 306, has not conceded that he lost. He has pressured Republican lawmakers and officials to overturn the result of the election, often by wielding the power of his base that could make or break political fortunes.  How can you certify an election when the numbers being certified are verifiably WRONG. You will see the real numbers tonight during my speech, but especially on JANUARY 6th. FILE – President-elect Joe Biden speaks after the Electoral College formally confirmed his election win, at The Queen theater in Wilmington, Delaware, Dec. 14, 2020.Under the 12th Amendment to the Constitution, if no candidate receives an absolute majority of the electoral votes, the House of Representatives is required to go into session immediately to choose a president.  “There is absolutely no chance that this effort, which is basically political theater, will prevent Joe Biden from becoming president of the United States,” said Grumet, of the Bipartisan Policy Center.  But Grumet said this effort is damaging to American democracy.  “Small bad precedents often become big bad precedents,” Grumet said. “We hopefully have not created now a tradition in which people who are basically sore losers take it upon themselves to question the legitimacy of tens of millions of American voters.”  The objection has also widened the rift between establishment Republicans and populist Republicans, both of which are seeking control over the direction of the party.  “January 6th will be the opening shot in a long-term effort to define the soul of the Republican Party,” GOP pollster Whit Ayers said.  What follows will depend on what Trump does after he leaves office, Ayers said. “How active he remains, and how much political influence he retains once he no longer has the power of the presidency at his disposal,” he added.   When will it end?  Despite the certification vote potentially dragging on for days, and some of the president’s legal challenges technically still pending in the courts, on January 20, the White House almost certainly will have a new occupant as Biden is to be sworn in as the 46th U.S. president. 
 
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A self-proclaimed anti-fascist group staged a protest on the Northern Virginia property of a Republican senator Monday night.
It was the latest in a string of protests aimed at politicians’ private homes.
The group Shutdown DC says it was protesting because Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) says he will not vote to certify the Electoral College presidential vote finalizing Democratic President-elect Joe Biden’s victory in the November contest.
On Twitter, Hawley called the group “antifa scumbags” and said they “screamed through bullhorns, shouted down my wife when she asked you to leave, vandalized property, pounded on our door, and terrorized neighbors.”
Hawley’s wife and newborn daughter were reportedly home alone.
In a tweet, Shutdown DC says it “sang songs, chanted and shared our stories. A small group of people delivered a copy of the constitution to his door.”  
In a video posted by the group and since deleted by Twitter for violating its terms of service, Shutdown DC members are seen shouting through a megaphone and several can be seen congregating around the front door. The full video was still available on YouTube.
On Jan. 1, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s (D-Ca.) San Francisco home was vandalized by protesters who also left a pig’s head outside the garage.  “$2K” and “Cancel Rent” were also spray painted on the home. The protesters were angry Congress did not approve payments of $2,000 in pandemic relief for Americans.
On Saturday, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s (R-Ky.) Kentucky home was also vandalized over the same issue, with someone spray painting “WERES MY MONEY” and “MITCH KILLS POOR” on the front of his home. 
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The leader of the far-right group the Proud Boys was arrested by Washington police on Monday, two days before supporters of President Donald Trump are scheduled to hold demonstrations in the capital city over Trump’s loss to Joe Biden in the November presidential election. The District of Columbia Metropolitan Police Department said it arrested Henry “Enrique” Tarrio on destruction of property charges for burning a Black Lives Matter sign that was torn down from a historic African American church during protests in Washington last month. The Proud Boys are expected to converge on the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday, as Congress votes to affirm Biden’s victory, one of several pro-Trump rallies planned in the city. Tarrio, 36, is also facing weapons charges after police found two high-capacity firearm magazines when he was taken into custody. FILE – People identifying themselves as members of the Proud Boys join supporters of President Donald Trump as they march on Nov. 14, 2020, in Washington.City officials warned Trump supporters not to bring guns to the protests. The local government in Washington prohibits people from carrying weapons in the open and possessing a handgun without a local license. The District of Columbia National Guard said 300 troops would support the city government during Wednesday’s planned protests. FILE – Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., asks questions during a hearing in Washington, Dec. 16, 2020.Protest at Senator Hawley’s House
Ahead of the rallies, Senator Josh Hawley said that his family was targeted by “Antifa scumbags” who frightened his family at their Washington DC home Monday night.    Hawley has said he would challenge the certification of the Electoral College vote that gave Biden his victory.  The group involved in the protest outside his home, ShutDown DC, said activists held a “vigil” and delivered a copy of the U.S. Constitution to his door. December rally
In December, violence erupted at a pro-Trump rally in December as Trump supporters, some wearing the Proud Boys colors of black and yellow, instigated confrontations with counter-protesters and activists.FILE – Supporters of President Donald Trump who are wearing attire associated with the Proud Boys attend a rally at Freedom Plaza, , Dec. 12, 2020, in Washington.As Trump supporters tried to enter Black Lives Matter Plaza near the White House, counter-protesters tried to block them. By nightfall, pro-Trump demonstrators ripped down a Black Lives Matter banner and sign from two historic Black churches in downtown Washington and set the banner on fire. Tarrio acknowledged to The Washington Post newspaper that he helped with the burning of the banner and said he would plead guilty to destruction of property charges and pay the church for the banner. Police were investigating the events last month as potential hate crimes, a spokesman told The Associated Press. Tarrio has not commented on the charges, but he said recently on the social media app Parler that “record numbers” of the group’s members would protest Trump’s loss beginning Wednesday. Last week, Trump tweeted, “The BIG Protest Rally in Washington, D.C., will take place at 11.00 A.M. on January 6th…. StopTheSteal!” 
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Young voters – specifically young Black voters – participating in the Georgia runoff election for two Senate seats are expected to provide significant support for the Democratic candidates.In the Senate race between incumbent Republican Senator David Perdue and Democratic challenger Jon Ossoff, 88% of Black youth favored Ossoff, compared with 31% of white youth, in the November election, according to the Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement (CIRCLE) at Tufts University in Medford, Massachusetts.In the Senate special election between incumbent Republican Senator Kelly Loeffler and challenger Raphael Warnock, 83% of Black youth preferred Warnock, compared to 32% of white youth, according to the study.“These overwhelming preferences underscore young Black voters’ ability to shape the runoff results,” CIRCLE stated.Nationally, young voters 18 to 29 years old favored President-elect Joe Biden by 25% over Republican President Donald Trump, according to CIRCLE.In Georgia, young voters cast 20% of all votes in the state for the 2020 presidential election, among the highest turnouts in the nation. And the youth vote in that Southern state favored Biden by 19%.CIRCLE said those youth voters were overwhelmingly Black, with 90% of Black youth supporting Biden in Georgia.“Youth of color, and especially Black youth, have extraordinary potential to be a decisive factor in these upcoming Senate races as a result of their population size and their historical support for Democratic candidates,” CIRCLE said on their website on December 22.“As they were in the 2018 and 2020 general elections in the state, youth of color are a major force in the Georgia electorate. There are over 500,000 Black 18- to 29-year-olds registered to vote as of December 17 … currently, the highest number of Black youth registered to vote in any state for which we have data,” CIRCLE reported.“But there are also barriers that particularly affect young people of color in Georgia, who will need to be engaged and mobilized in a type of election that traditionally sees lower turnout,” the report stated.
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Voters in the southern U.S. state of Georgia will play a crucial role in determining the balance of power in the U.S. for the next two years when they head to the polls Tuesday. VOA’s congressional correspondent Katherine Gypson reports from Atlanta, Georgia, on the two U.S. Senate runoff elections.
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