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US Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell alleged President for the attack on the US Capitol. He said the pro-Trump mob that overran the building was provoked by the president and other powerful people. McConnell delivered his words in a speech on the Senate floor. He was convening for the first time since voting to accept the election results following the attacks on 6^th January 2021, which resulted in the deaths of 5 people. US Congress met that day to finalize the result of the Electoral College votes for President-elect Joe Biden, but a count was interrupted by the riots that afternoon. Point to be noted that at least 100 Republican legislators still voted to object to the Electoral College results of Arizona and Pennsylvania, in spite of the ransacking of the Capitol earlier that day.

McConnell said, “The mob was fed lies. They were provoked by the president and other powerful people. And they tried to use fear and violence to stop a specific proceeding of the first branch of the federal government which they did not like”. He also urged his Republican colleagues to vote to affirm the victory of Joe Biden in keeping with the tradition of a peaceful transfer of power. It is noteworthy that President Trump addressed his supporters in a rally near the White House earlier on 6^th January. He urged them to ‘fight like hell’ to overturn the election results. Trump had repeatedly spread lies about the election and falsely claimed that there was mass voter fraud. McConnell also said it was time to move forward and argued that the election didn’t hand any side a mandate for sweeping ideological change.

McConnell added, “Americans elected a closely divided Senate, a closely divided House, and a presidential candidate who said he’d represent everyone”. Democrats maintained a slim majority in the House, following November’s elections. They are poised to have a razor-thin grasp on power in the US Senate. 3 new Democratic senators are also expected to be sworn in on Wednesday and it would give Democrats a 50-50 majority, with Vice President-elect Kamala Harris breaking any tie. It clearly indicates that any significant legislation will have to garner strong Republican support in order to pass in the Senate. McConnell also said the Senate will have 3 priorities once Biden is inaugurated; the impeachment trial of Trump, confirming Biden’s cabinet nominees, and passing needed COVID-19 relief.