They Waved Their American Flags, but They Were Not Patriots
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A pro-Trump mob storms the U.S. Capitol Wednesday following a rally with President Donald Trump in Washington, D.C. SAMUEL CORUM/GETTY IMAGES THURSDAY, JANUARY 7, 2021 $1 CITY/BURBS $2 ELSEWHERE LATE SPORTS FINAL THEY WAVED THEIR AMERICAN FLAGS, BUT THEY WERE NOT PATRIOTS. PAGES 22-23; COVERAGE OF CAPITOL CHAOS, PLUS MARY MITCHELL AND LYNN SWEET, PAGES 2-12 2 | Thursday, January 7, 2021 | The Hardest-Working Paper in America | suntimes.com ◆ TOP NEWS PRO-TRUMP MOB Rioters egged on by prez force lawmakers into hiding during ceremony to affirm Biden’s victory BY LISA MASCARO, ERIC TUCKER AND MARY CLARE JALONICK Associated Press WASHINGTON — A violent mob loyal to President Donald Trump stormed the U.S. Cap- itol on Wednesday and forced lawmakers into hiding, in a stunning attempt to overturn Amer- ica’s presidential election, undercut the nation’s democracy and keep Democrat Joe Biden from replacing Trump in the White House. The nation’s elected representatives scram- bled to crouch under desks and don gas marks, while police futilely tried to barricade the building, one of the most jarring scenes ever to unfold in a seat of American political power. A woman was shot and killed inside the Capitol, and Washington police said three others died of medical emergencies. The rioters were egged on by Trump, who has spent weeks falsely attacking the integ- rity of the election and had urged his sup- porters to descend on Washington to protest Congress’ formal approval of Biden’s victory. Some Republican lawmakers were in the midst of raising objections to the results on his behalf when the proceedings were abrupt- ly halted by the mob. A supporter of President Donald Trump sits Wednesday in House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s office, where Together, the protests and the GOP election a message was left on a folder (right) at her computer. SAUL LOEB/AFP VIA GETTY IMAGES PHOTOS objections amounted to an almost unthinkable challenge to American democracy and exposed the depths of the divisions that have coursed Electoral College vote for Biden’s election, America is made of” by finishing the count. through the country during Trump’s four years evenifittookallnight. The president gave his supporters a boost in office. Though the efforts to block Biden Vice President Mike Pence, reopening the into action Wednesday morning at a rally out- from being sworn in on Jan. 20 were sure to Senate, directly addressed the demonstrators: side the White House, where he urged them fail, the support Trump has received for his ef- “You did not win.” to march to the Capitol. He spent much of the forts to overturn the election results have badly Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch afternoon in his private dining room off the strained the nation’s democratic guardrails. McConnell said the “failed insurrection” un- Oval Office watching scenes of the violence Congress reconvened in the evening, sena- derscored lawmakers’ duty to confirm the on television. At the urging of his staff, he re- tors decrying the protests that defaced the vote. Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pe- luctantly issued a pair of tweets and a taped Capitol and vowing to finish confirming the losi said Congress would show the world “what video telling his supporters it was time to “go MANAGE YOUR SUBSCRIPTION SUN-TIMES PRICES The Chicago Sun-Times (USPS No. 103-920) INDEX The Mix ......................................... 21 Call: (888) 848-4637 Mon.-Sun.: $19.99/month is published daily except Sundays by Sun- Rick Morrissey .......................46-47 Online: suntimes.com/service Wed., Thu., Fri., Sun.: $13.99/month Times Media LLC, 30 North Racine Avenue, Bridge............................................25 Nation/World.............................. 34 Business ....................................... 18 Obituaries.....................................35 Vol. 73, No. 286 ©2021 Email: [email protected] Sun. only: $7.99/month Chicago IL 60607.The Sunday Sun-Times is Digital: $74.49/year published weekly. 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Visit 30 North Racine Avenue, Chicago, IL 60607, Lottery results .............................28 TV listings.....................................28 [email protected] or visit iwantmytvmagazine.com. suntimes.com/subscribe. or call 888-848-4637. Mary Mitchell .................................4 Weather.........................................24 ◆◆ suntimes.com | The Hardest-Working Paper in America | Thursday, January 7, 2021 | 3 STORMS CAPITOL place. Otherwise, said Sen. Jeff Merkley, D- Ore., the ballots likely would have been de- stroyed by the protesters. The woman who was fatally shot was part of a crowd that was breaking down the doors to a barricaded room where armed officers stood on the other side, police said. She was struck in the chest and sent to a hospital where she was pronounced dead. Officials be- lieve she was struck by law enforcement but were investigating. Trump supporters posting on internet fo- rums popular with far-right fringe elements celebrated the chaos. Messages posted on one turned from profane frustration over the con- tent of Trump’s speech to glee when support- ers stormed the building. At least one leading figure was livestreaming video from inside the Capitol during the siege. The mob’s storming of Congress prompted outrage, mostly from Democrats but from Republicans as well, as lawmakers accused Trump of fomenting the violence with his re- lentless falsehoods about election fraud. Sev- eral suggested that Trump be prosecuted for a crime, which seemed unlikely two weeks from when his term expires. “I think Donald Trump probably should be brought up on treason for something like this,” Rep. Jimmy Gomez, D-Calif., told reporters. “This is how a coup is started. And this is how democracy dies.” Sen. Ben Sasse, R-Neb., who’s at times clashed with Trump, issued a statement say- Police with guns drawn watch as protesters try to break into the House Chamber at the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday. J. SCOTT APPLEWHITE/AP ing, “Lies have consequences. This violence was the inevitable and ugly outcome of the home in peace” — yet he still said he backed noon for the constitutionally mandated count- building, shouting and waving Trump and president’s addiction to constantly stoking di- their cause. ing of the Electoral College results, in which American flags as they marched through the vision.” Hours later, Twitter for the first time locked Biden defeated Trump, 306-232. Despite pleas halls. Lawmakers were told to duck under Late Wednesday, the House voted 303-121, Trump’s account, demanded that he remove from McConnell, more than 150 GOP lawmak- their seats for cover and put on gas masks af- with only Republicans voting in support, to tweets excusing violence and threatened “per- ers planned to support objections to some of ter tear gas was used in the Capitol Rotunda. reject an objection to Biden’s win in Arizona, manent suspension.” the results, though lacking evidence of fraud Some House lawmakers tweeted they were joining the Senate in upholding the results of A somber President-elect Biden, two or wrongdoing in the election. sheltering in place in their offices. the election there. The joint session was to weeks away from being inaugurated, said Trump spent the lead-up to the proceed- Rep. Scott Peters, D-Calif., told reporters make its way through other states that have American democracy was “under unprec- ings publicly hectoring Pence, who had a he was in the House chamber when rioters be- objections. edented assault,” a sentiment echoed by many largely ceremonial role, to aid the effort to gan storming it. Security officers “made us all Despite Trump’s repeated claims of voter in Congress, including some Republicans. throw out the results. He tweeted: “Do it Mike, get down, you could see that they were fending fraud, election officials and his own former The domed Capitol building has for centu- this is a time for extreme courage!” off some sort of assault.” He said they had a attorney general have said there were no ries been the scene of protests and occasional But Pence, in a statement shortly before piece of furniture up against the door, the en- problems on a scale that would change the violence. But Wednesday’s events were partic- presiding, defied Trump, saying he could not try to the House floor from the Rotunda. “And outcome. All the states have certified their re- ularly astounding both because they unfolded claim “unilateral authority” to reject the elec- they had guns pulled,” Peters said. sults as fair and accurate, by Republican and at least initially with the implicit blessing of toral votes that make Biden president. “And they just told us to take our pins off,” Democratic officials alike. the president and because of the underlying In the aftermath, several Republicans an- he added, referring to lapel pins members The Pentagon said about 1,100 District of goal of overturning the results of a free and nounced they would drop their objections to wear so Capitol Police can quickly identify Columbia National Guard members were be- fair presidential election. the election. them. Then the lawmakers were evacuated. ing mobilized to help support law enforce- Tensions were already running high when Shortly after the first GOP objections, pro- Staff members grabbed the boxes of Elec- ment at the Capitol.