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A4 U.S. NEWS
Saturday 7 January 2017

‘It is over’: Congress certifies Donald Trump’s victory

STEPHEN OHLEMACHER respective state capitals effort to object to Trump’s
Associated Press in December to cast their election.
WASHINGTON (AP) — Con- votes. Friday’s vote count Lee and other members
gress certified Donald made it official. Biden pre- of the Congressional Black
Trump’s presidential vic- sided over the count in his Caucus wanted to bring
tory Friday over the objec- role as president of the Sen- attention to strict voter ID
tions of a handful of House ate. laws in some states that
Democrats, with Vice Presi- Trump finished with they say suppress voters.
dent Joe Biden pronounc- 304 electoral votes and “The real question was
ing, “It is over.” Democrat Hillary Clinton about the principles of De-
House Democrats ob- got 227. mocracy and the sacred-
jected to the votes from There were seven protest ness of the vote and the
at least 10 states, raising votes for other candidates. very high calling of a presi-
issues of voter suppression It takes 270 Electoral Col- dential election,” Lee said.
as well as American intelli- lege votes to win the presi- The objections added a bit
gence showing that Russia dency. of acrimony to the end of
tried to sway the election As expected, Mike Pence a nasty presidential elec-
in favor of Trump. In each Vice President Joe Biden, with House Speaker Paul Ryan of Wis., was elected vice presi- tion. Not surprisingly, sever-
case, their objections were right, watching, delcares that Congress certifies Donald Trump’s dent. al protesters were ejected
denied because they presidential victory during a joint session of Congress, on Capi- Trump and Pence are to be from the public gallery as
didn’t have the support of tol Hill in Washington, Friday, Jan. 6, 2017. sworn in on Jan. 20. the vote count concluded.
any senators. Associated Press As the votes were an- Trump won even though
All 538 electors met in their nounced for state after Clinton received nearly 2.9
state, Democratic mem- million more votes. His elec-
bers of the House stood up tion has generated much
to object. But in each case, angst among Democrats
no Democratic senator and others who oppose the
would join them, and Biden billionaire businessman. But
cut them off. they have been powerless
“There can be no debate,” to change the outcome.
Biden said repeatedly. Despite rumblings of a
Under federal law, if at revolt, only two Republi-
least one senator and one can electors — both from
House member object to Texas — cast protest votes
the vote from any state, for someone other than
the House and Senate will Trump. Clinton lost four
meet separately to debate Democratic electors in
the merits of the objection. Washington state and one
Toward the end of the in Hawaii.
count, Rep. Maxine Wa- On Friday morning, Trump
ters, D-Calif., pleaded for went on Twitter to provide
a senator to join her in ob- another assessment of the
jecting. election.
“Is there one United States “Hillary and the Dems were
senator who will join me in never going to beat the
this letter of objection?” PASSION of my voters.
Waters said to boos from They saw what was hap-
Republicans. None did. pening in the last two
After the vote, Biden told weeks before the (elec-
some of the House Demo- tion) and knew they were
crats who tried to object in big trouble — which is
why he had cut them off. why they cancelled their
“Basically, it was the rules big fireworks at the last
and we understand that,” minute. THEY SAW A MOVE-
said Rep. Sheila Jackson MENT LIKE NEVER BEFORE,”
Lee, D-Texas, who led the Trump wrote.q