Author: LoudounNow

The riots and break-in at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, shocked and saddened the nation. They happened during a crucial—but normally uneventful—process whereby Congress counts the electoral votes to confirm the winner of the presidential election. But Congress’s effort to count the votes was disrupted this year by violence. These events are hard to fully comprehend—no one thought they would ever see rioters breaking into the House and Senate chambers. But these events are better understood against the backdrop of Constitutional provisions that were in play leading up to the Jan. 6 riots.