As Congress gathers to certify President-elect Donald Trump’s election amid a winter storm, the legacy of Jan. 6 looms large. The candidate who attempted to overturn the previous election has won this time and is set to return to power legitimately. Lawmakers will meet under the highest national security level, with tall black fencing surrounding the U.S. Capitol, a stark reminder of the violent attack on American democracy four years ago.
No violence, protests, or procedural objections are expected this time. Republicans who challenged the 2020 election results have accepted Trump’s victory over Vice President Kamala Harris. Democrats, despite their frustration, also accept the outcome of the 312-226 Electoral College vote.
House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Republican who previously supported Trump’s efforts to overturn the 2020 election, emphasized the importance of certifying the vote despite the snowstorm. “Whether we’re in a blizzard or not, we are going to be in that chamber making sure this is done,” Johnson said.
The day’s proceedings mark a return to the tradition of the peaceful transfer of presidential power, albeit with an asterisk. Trump, who denies losing four years ago, has hinted at staying beyond the Constitution’s two-term limit and has promised to pardon some of those convicted for the Capitol siege.
The question remains whether Jan. 6, 2021, was an anomaly or if this year’s expected calm is the outlier. Trump refers to Jan. 6, 2021, as a “day of love,” while others warn of the unprecedented danger of reelecting a leader who previously refused to step aside.
President Joe Biden, speaking at the White House, called Jan. 6, 2021, “one of the toughest days in American history” and emphasized the need to return to a normal transfer of power. “What Trump did last time was a genuine threat to democracy. I’m hopeful we’re beyond that now,” Biden said.
Despite the challenges, American democracy has proven resilient. Congress will affirm the choice of the American people with the ceremonial arrival of mahogany boxes filled with electoral certificates from the states. Vice President Kamala Harris will preside over the counting and certify her own defeat, much like Al Gore in 2001 and Richard Nixon in 1961.
New procedural rules require one-fifth of lawmakers to raise any objections to election results, a change from the previous requirement of just one in each chamber. Security is tight, with law enforcement on high alert, but no disruptions are expected.
Republicans who previously challenged Trump’s defeat have accepted his win this time. Democrats, who have raised symbolic objections in the past, have no intention of objecting. House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries emphasized the importance of accepting election results, saying, “You see, one should love America when you win and when you lose. That’s the patriotic thing to do.”
The aftermath of Jan. 6, 2021, saw far-right militias leading the mob to break into the Capitol, resulting in numerous convictions and prison sentences. Trump was impeached for inciting an insurrection but acquitted by the Senate. Federal prosecutors later issued a four-count indictment against Trump, but the case was withdrawn after his reelection.
In one of his final acts, Biden awarded the Presidential Citizens Medal to Rep. Bennie Thompson and former Rep. Liz Cheney for their roles in investigating Jan. 6, 2021. Trump has criticized those who worked on the Jan. 6 committee, suggesting they should be imprisoned.
