Congress finalizes Biden's win after riot disrupts Capitol

Sen. John Cornyn, a member of the Senate GOP leadership team, said that today “we hit bottom,” before suggesting that the President Trump’s rhetoric led to the attack on the Capitol. 

Asked whether Trump hurt himself among rank-and-file Republicans with today's actions, Cornyn said he doesn't know because of Trump's strong support, but added that he thinks "this will, this will open up, I think, some backlash, because I don’t think anybody accepts this as a satisfactory outcome."

White House Deputy national security adviser Matt Pottinger resigned in response to President Trump’s reaction to a mob of his supporters breaching the US Capitol, a person close to Pottinger confirmed to CNN.

He told people there was very little for him to consider. 

CNN reported Wednesday night that several of President Donald Trump's top aides, including national security adviser Robert O'Brien and deputy chief of staff Chris Liddell, were considering resigning.

The US Capitol Police have sent out a message that the security threat has been cleared for all buildings within the complex following the violent riots.

Here's what they said:

What happened today: Four people are dead — including one woman who was shot — after supporters of President Trump breached one of the most iconic American buildings, engulfing the nation's capital in chaos after Trump urged his supporters to fight against the ceremonial counting of the electoral votes that will confirm President-elect Joe Biden's win.

The stunning display of insurrection was the first time the US Capitol had been overrun since the British attacked and burned the building in August of 1814, during the War of 1812, according to Samuel Holliday, director of scholarship and operations with the US Capitol Historical Society.

Sen. Jim Inhofe, a Republican from Oklahoma, said he talked to Vice President Mike Pence about President Trump's criticisms of him, and Pence "was very upset with him."

Inhofe also called Trump's comments "regrettable."

Pence on Wednesday publicly broke with Trump, saying he cannot submit to demands he overthrow the results of the election.

Pence formalized his views in a letter to lawmakers, declaring he has no "unilateral authority to decide presidential contests" and could not change the results of the election.

CNN's Kevin Liptak and Kaitlan Collins contributed to this report.

Michigan Democrat Rep. Dan Kildee tonight issued a strong condemnation of his Republican colleagues whose rhetoric helped foment the attack the US Capitol on Wednesday, saying their names should be remembered forever. 

This was "whipped up by politicians... the President of the United States himself and some of my colleagues who know better," said Kildee, speaking on CNN this morning.

"Those members of Congress who supported this specious attack on the Electoral College vote will have their names permanently written in ink and everyone should know those names," said Kildee. 

 "I will never look at my colleagues who voted for these challenges, who fueled this insanity... the same, and that includes some of my Michigan colleagues who I could not look in the eye today when we were huddled in a safe place," he said.

"I hope we remember those names forever," he concluded.

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An objection to certify Pennsylvania's electoral votes failed in the Senate tonight, with a 92-7 vote.

Here are the seven Republican senators who voted to sustain the objection:

The Senate is voting on the objection of Pennsylvania’s Electoral College vote count now.

Lawmakers yielded their time allocated for debate, and are expected to reject the attempt to throw out the state's votes for President-elect Joe Biden.

The objection was presented by Pennsylvania Rep. Scott Perry and Sen. Josh Hawley.

Vice President Mike Pence has accepted Pennsylvania's objection to its electoral results.

"I have a written objection, signed by a senator and 80 members of the House of Representatives," GOP Rep. Scott Perry said early Thursday morning in his objection.

Republican Sen. Josh Hawley joined the objection as well.

Because the objection has been signed by both a congressman and a senator, the Senate will now reconvene and both it and the House will debate the objection. Each chamber will then vote on whether to sustain the objection.

CNN's Phil Mattingly has more:

Vice President Mike Pence rejected an objection presented by Republican Rep. Mo Brooks to Nevada's electoral votes after their bid failed to include a signature from a senator.

The congressman said they objected to Nevada's electoral votes "in order to protect the lawful votes of Nevada and all other American citizens."

He noted, however, that "unfortunately" no senator had joined in their effort.

Nevada's votes were certified for President-elect Joe Biden.

Remember: Each objection must be put in writing and signed by both a congressman and senator in order for the joint session to be paused and the House and Senate adjourn to separately consider it.

Watch the moment: