7 Things: Congress affirms Biden victory, 4 dead in riot that delayed proceeding, Brooks calls for prosecution of ‘thugs’ and more …

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January 7, 2021

7. Woodfin released from the hospital

After a brief hospital stay to address “symptoms connected to COVID pneumonia,” Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin has been released from the hospital. Woodfin received remdesivir and convalescent plasma.
Woodfin released a statement where he thanked his “doctor, the nurses, staff and everyone at Princeton Baptist.” He added that he’s “blessed that they caught it early.”

6. Alabama a top destination to move

The annually released United Vans Lines National Movers Study shows that in 2020, Alabama became a top destination for people to move. About 60% of the moves from the company involving Alabama were people moving to the state.
This means that 40% were moving away from the state, but overall, it’s another example of how more people are moving to the state rather than away. Huntsville saw 70% of moves being made by people coming into the area.

5. It’ll be Merrick Garland, not Doug Jones for AG

President-elect Joe Biden has picked Judge Merrick Garland for U.S. Attorney General. It’s expected that Biden will make the official announcement Thursday.
This comes after months of talk that former U.S. Senator Doug Jones (D-AL) was the frontrunner to be considered for the AG position.

4. Four dead in riot at U.S. Capitol

During the protest and riots at the U.S. Capitol, a woman was shot and killed during a standoff between President Donald Trump’s supporters and police officers while the building was on lockdown. The woman who was shot was carried out on a stretcher and rushed to the hospital and eventually died due to her injuries. The woman hasn’t been identified as of this time.
In addition to the one killed by a U.S. Capitol Police officer, three other individuals died “around the Capitol grounds” after “separate medical emergencies.” Fourteen officers were also injured. Bombs, a Molotov cocktail and a long gun were found at the Capitol.

3. Brooks calling for the prosecution of “thugs”

U.S. Representative Mo Brooks (R-Huntsville) was set to object to some of the electors in the general election on Wednesday, but rioters storming the Capitol in support of President Donald Trump stalled that process. Brooks rightly called those people “thugs.”
Brooks released a statement on the situation and called the violence at the U.S. Capitol “despicable, un-American, and tears at the fabric of our great republic.” Brooks also added that “the appropriate way to achieve political goals … is via free speech, vigorous public debate, and at the ballot box, while always being respectful of the Rule of Law and Law Enforcement.”

2. Riot will not stop the nation’s business

Following a rally held by President Donald Trump in Washington, D.C., some of those attending the rally marched to the U.S. Capitol. Upon arriving at the Capitol, there were some in the crowd that turned the protest into a riot when they started attacking police officers and broke into the Capitol. Despite these events, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) announced that they would “proceed tonight at the Capitol once it is cleared for use” to continue certifying the Electoral College votes.
U.S. Senator Richard Shelby (R-AL) described this as “a very dark day for our country … Our Founding Fathers warned against mob rule. Law and order must be established and maintained.” The protest and riot took place as senators and fepresentatives were beginning to certify the Electoral College results.

1. Trump finally accepts the results of the election

After the unacceptable violence at the U.S. Capitol, a joint session of Congress certified President-elect Joe Biden’s victory just before 4 a.m. ET. The final tally has not changed since early November. Biden received 306 Electoral College votes while President Donald Trump received 232.
While there was no concession or acceptance of defeat, President Trump did admit there will be a peaceful transfer of power. He advised, “Even though I totally disagree with the outcome of the election, and the facts bear me out, nevertheless there will be an orderly transition on January 20th.” Trump also made it clear that he is not done fighting, saying, “I have always said we would continue our fight to ensure that only legal votes were counted. While this represents the end of the greatest first term in presidential history, it’s only the beginning of our fight to Make America Great Again.”