Congress finalizes Biden's win after riot disrupts Capitol

A bid by Republicans to object to Michigan's electoral results, which certified President-elect Joe Biden's win, failed tonight in a joint session of Congress.

The objection was raised by Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, who confirmed that it was in writing but had not been signed by a senator.

Because the objection lacked the signature, Vice President Mike Pence rejected the action.

"In that case, the objection cannot be entertained," Pence said, drawing applause from members of Congress.

And as a result, the objection failed.

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Republican lawmakers objected to Georgia's electoral results, which certified President-elect Joe Biden's win, tonight on Capitol Hill.

GOP Rep. Jody Hice, of Georgia, objected to the election results in the state claiming they were "faulty and fraudulent."

When asked by Vice President Mike Pence whether these objections were presented in writing and signed by one senator, Hice said: "Mr. President, prior to the actions and events of today, we did, but following the events of today, it appears that some senators have withdrawn their objection."

Hice's response drew vigorous applause from other lawmakers.

"In that case, the objection cannot be entertained," Pence said in response.

Georgia Sen. Kelly Loeffler had indicated earlier today that she would object, but withdrew it after protestors stormed the Capitol Wednesday saying, "I cannot now object to the certification of these electors."

Georgia’s votes are now 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. 

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The joint session of Congress is counting the electoral ballots.

Four lawmakers designated as "tellers" — two from the House and two from the Senate — are reading the certificates of vote from each state.

They are doing this in alphabetical order. The teller just read the votes from Maine.

Track the electoral vote count in Congress here.

The House and Senate has reconvened the joint session and will resume counting the electoral ballots.

According to a Senate GOP leadership aide, when the Senate returns to the chamber to debate the objection to Pennsylvania, expected to be triggered by GOP Sen. Josh Hawley, they will not hold two hours of debate but will go straight to a roll call vote on the objection. 

This will allow many senators to leave the Capitol while the House debates, possibly for two hours, and then votes on the Pennsylvania objection. 

It’s unclear right now if the House would yield back time and not use the full two hours.

There will not likely be any more objections but after Pennsylvania is dealt with, the joint session will have to reconvene and complete counting of the ballots.

CNN's Phil Mattingly has more:

DC Police Chief Robert Contee announced this evening that three people died from medical emergencies during today’s insurrection at the Capitol.

Contee did not specify if these people were involved in any way with the overtaking of the Capitol building.

DC Fire and Emergency Medical services transported people to area hospitals with injuries ranging from cardiac arrest to multiple fractures after falling from scaffolding on the West front of the Capitol building. However, city officials did not say whether any of these people are the ones now deceased.

Pro-Trump rioters -- who overtook the Capitol Wednesday and stormed past police barricades -- took the nameplate from above the door to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's office. 

Aides also said the rioters shattered a big mirror in her office. 

CNN reported earlier that a photo from inside her office suite shows a folder with the words "we will not back down" written on it. 

The folder was found after rioters stormed the US Capitol as members of Congress were meeting to certify President-elect Joe Biden's Electoral College win.

It also appears that the Office of the Senate Parliamentarian was ransacked during today's violence.

The House voted to reject an objection to throw out Arizona's Electoral College votes for President-elect Joe Biden. The measure was also dismissed in the Senate.

The effort failed in the House by a final vote of 303 to 121. A majority of Republicans voted to reject the electors, 121-83.

The House and the Senate will now reconvene in a joint session to continue to count the Electoral College votes. 

Remember: Any further objections must be made in writing and backed both by a member of the House of Representatives and a senator, from any state.

Objections that are entertained by the chair — that’s Vice President Mike Pence, whose duties include serving as president of the Senate — will force both the House and Senate to withdraw for debate in each chamber, which will be capped at a maximum of two hours.

Republican Sen. Josh Hawley still plans to object to Pennsylvania's results, a spokesman said, which would force a second round of debate and votes on the objection.

Metropolitan police made in excess of 52 arrests as a result of the violence at the US Capitol today, said Chief Robert Contee said at a news conference.

Twenty-six of the 52 arrests were made on US Capitol grounds, Contee said.

Here's a breakdown of the arrests, according to the chief:

Authorities also recovered a pipe bomb from the Democratic National Committee and another pipe bomb from the Republican National Committee. A cooler from a vehicle along with a long gun that also included Molotov cocktails on the grounds of the United States Capitol were also recovered.

Former Republican Sen. Jeff Flake said that Wednesday's riot at the US Capitol building was "beyond awful." 

Flake, a CNN political commentator, who endorsed Joe Biden for president, went on to call on Congress to move certify the election results without objection. 

"Congress is doing exactly what they should be doing right now, certifying the results and then waiting for January 20th," Flake said. "I hope that Congress will take up some of the nominees that the President-elect has put forward and hold those hearings so that we can hit the ground running on January 20th." 

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