GOP congresswoman to no longer challenge Biden’s win after US Capitol breach

GOP Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers announced Wednesday evening that she will reverse her position on challenging President-elect Joe Biden’s victory after rioters forced a shutdown of the House and Senate chambers of the US Capitol.

Describing the episode as “disgraceful and un-American,” McMorris Rodgers said in a statement, “I have decided I will vote to uphold the Electoral College results and I encourage Donald Trump to condemn and put an end to this madness.”

She explained that her planned objection to counting electoral votes “was to give voice to the concern that governors and courts unilaterally changed election procedures without the will of the people and outside of the legislative process.”

“I have been consistent in my belief that Americans should utilize the Constitutional tools and legal processes available to seek answers to their questions about the 2020 election,” she continued.

McMorris Rodgers’ reversal came after chaos at the Capitol, when supporters spurred by Trump breached the complex and threw into question when Congress would resume counting the Electoral College votes and declare Biden the winner of the election.

Only after pleading from aides and congressional allies inside the besieged Capitol did Trump release a video urging the rioters to “go home,” while still fanning their baseless grievances about a stolen election.

In the video, he also praised the crowd, who broke into the Capitol using force, stole items from its rooms and posed for photographs in the legislative chambers. “We love you,” Trump said. “You’re very special.”

McMorris Rodgers had been just one of more than 100 House Republicans who were planning to object to counting electoral votes for Biden. Some Republicans who planned to object were strategizing among themselves while the Capitol was locked down, and it wasn’t clear if they would draw out the process as originally planned.

Still, lawmakers in both parties made clear they were determined to finish the count Wednesday evening.

“Today, a shameful assault was made on our democracy. It was anointed at the highest level of government. It cannot, however, deter us from our responsibility to validate the election of Joe Biden,” House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said in a statement.

As senators waited to get back on the Senate floor and resume the certification process, some were using the time — and the frightening reality of what was happening — to push and cajole the Republicans who had planned to object to states like Georgia and Pennsylvania to back down after they finish debate over Arizona’s election results, two Senate sources familiar with the conversations told CNN.

“We’re trying to expedite matters,” said Sen. Roger Wicker, a Mississippi Republican, predicting the counting would be finished Wednesday evening.

Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia, leaving a secure location with other senators, said there was a belief they would finish the electoral vote count Wednesday night.

“These thugs aren’t running us off,” Manchin said.

This story has been updated with additional details.