Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said on Tuesday that the mob that attacked the Capitol was “provoked” by President Donald Trump.
“The mob was fed lies,” McConnell, a Kentucky Republican, said on the Senate floor.
“They were provoked by the President and other powerful people.”
McConnell touted that Congress did its duty despite the violence on January 6, certifying the victory of President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris.
“We’ll have a safe and successful inaugural right here on the very front of the Capitol,” said McConnell.
McConnell’s comments came as the Senate prepares to hold an impeachment trial over the House’s charge of “incitement of insurrection.” McConnell said on Tuesday that the Senate has received a message from the House that Trump has been impeached but noted that the House has not yet transmitted the article to the Senate.
Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer advocated for convicting Trump and disqualifying him from holding office again.
“We need to set a precedent that the severest offense ever committed by a President will be met by the severest remedy provided by the Constitution — Impeachment and conviction by this chamber as well as disbarment from future office,” Schumer said.
McConnell said Congress would soon turn to work for the American people and asserted that no party has a broad mandate after the 2020 elections, which flipped the White House and Republican-led Senate to the Democrats.
“Certainly November’s elections did not hand any side a mandate for sweeping ideological change,” said McConnell. “Americans elected a closely divided Senate, a closely divided House and a presidential candidate who said he’d represent everyone.”
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