Donald Trump’s victory certified by Congress on Monday

The American Congress must certify on Monday the results of the November presidential election, won by Donald Trump. Four years after the assault on the Capitol by supporters of the Republican, this symbolic meeting promises to be without any twists.

In a snow-covered capital under heavy surveillance, senators and members of the House of Representatives will meet in a joint session, as required by the Constitution. Elected officials will then be called upon to count the electoral college votes for all the states and the District of Columbia.

At the end of the November 5 elections, Donald Trump won 312 electoral votes, compared to 226 for Kamala Harris, his Democratic rival. The Republican also won the popular vote nationally, a first in 20 years for a Republican candidate. Grand Old Party.

Ironically, the certification on Monday will be presided over by Ms. Harris, since she presides over the Senate as vice president. She will thus be responsible for announcing the winner, once the votes have been counted and announced out loud. The victory of Mr. Trump and his running mate, JD Vance, will then be official.

This is not the first time that a vice president has had to certify his own defeat. In 2001, Democrat Al Gore endorsed the victory of George W. Bush, against whom he narrowly lost. In 2017, Joe Biden, then Barack Obama’s right-hand man, presided over the counting of the votes crowning Donald Trump the winner.

This certification is the last step before the president-elect takes office. Donald Trump will take control of the White House — and the entire country — on January 20, when he is inaugurated in Washington. Joe Biden intends to participate in the ceremony, unlike his defeated successor four years ago.

A symbolic role

The certification of the vote will take place for the first time this year under the guidance of a revised electoral law. Congress modernized it in 2022, in the wake of the attack on the Capitol and Mr. Trump’s failed attempt to overturn the results of the 2020 election.

This overhaul clarified the role of the vice-president, which is purely ceremonial. In 2021, Donald Trump pressured his right-hand man, Mike Pence, to overturn the result of the election. The latter was clearly opposed to it, arousing the anger of the rioters.

The new law also tightened the rules surrounding a challenge to state results by a member of Congress. It is now much more difficult to oppose it.

During Monday’s session, an elected official will be able to stand up to challenge the vote in a state, citing the reason of their choice. Before the reform, it was enough for an objection to be supported by a senator and a representative for it to be considered. Now, this must be submitted in writing and receive the support of one-fifth of the elected representatives of each chamber.

However, this type of turnaround should not occur. No Democrats took to the barricades to protest the election, unlike many Republicans four years ago.

However, there remains the snowstorm, which could come and play spoilsport. Blizzard or not, there is no question of postponing the vote, however assured the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mike Johnson.

Rioters pardoned?

The certification of Donald Trump’s return to power comes four years after the attack on the Capitol. On January 6, 2021, thousands of Trumpists stormed the temple of American democracy. Many of them managed to break in by force, injuring police officers and temporarily interrupting the certification of Joe Biden’s victory.

Five people died during the riot and its aftermath. No less than 140 police officers were injured. Since then, more than 1,500 people have been charged across the country, the vast majority of whom have pleaded guilty or been convicted. More than 650 rioters received prison sentences ranging from a few days to 22 years.

The FBI is still looking for people involved in this revolt, including the one who planted bombs in front of the Republican Party offices in Washington the day before the attack. According to the federal agency, some 2,000 people committed criminal acts on January 6.

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Since Mr. Trump’s victory in November, lawyers for several defendants have filed appeals to request the postponement of their next hearing, including for sentencing after they have already been found guilty.

Donald Trump has repeatedly stated that he would pardon the first day of his presidency the vast majority rioters convicted. These people suffered long and hard. There may be exceptions, I have to look, you know, if someone was radical, crazyhe recently declared on the airwaves of the channel NBC.

During the electoral campaign, the Republican also urged to rewrite the history of the attack on the Capitol, presenting the incarcerated demonstrators as brave patriots and political prisoners. Rejecting any responsibility for this attack – the deadliest against a seat of American power in 200 years – Mr. Trump even called it day of love and overflow of affection towards him.

In the Republican ranks, a handful of elected officials such as the representative of Georgia, Marjorie Taylor Greene, believe that all those who participated in the siege of the Capitol must be pardoned. Few Republicans go that far, but many think it is appropriate for Mr. Trump to consider pardons on a case-by-case basis.

On the Democratic side, several leaders are concerned about the consequences that these pardons could have on the rule of law and the security of the country. Members of far-right groups Oath Keepers et Proud Boys have, for example, been convicted of seditious conspiracy and other crimes in connection with the attack.

With information from CNN, CBS, Reuters and Associated Press