It's Monday, Jan. 6. Washington, D.C., looks absolutely magical this morning. Too bad the snowstorm happens to be on a constitutionally mandated workday on Capitol Hill. 😅 Here's what's happening: - The election certification is moving ahead despite the snowstorm.
- Jan. 6 is giving Capitol Hill some PTSD.
- Biden wrote a Jan. 6 op-ed marking four years since the Capitol riot
- Snow impacts in D.C.
- Golden Globe highlights.
Filing with my adorable 1-year-old assistant because of the snow day closures, I'm Cate Martel with a quick recap of the morning and what's coming up. Send tips, commentary, feedback and cookie recipes to cmartel@thehill.com. Did someone forward this newsletter to you? Sign up here. |
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What a different Jan. 6 this is: |
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Four years ago, Jan. 6 began as a mundane, ceremonial day — but there was a palpable, eerie energy that morning. It escalated to a pro-Trump mob violently storming the U.S. Capitol to try to stop the certification of President Biden's 2020 election win. Following the Jan. 6 attack in 2021 and Biden's inauguration, then-former President Trump became persona non grata in most political circles. Just to name a few examples: But what a difference four years makes: Trump decisively won the 2024 presidential election and is once again the center of gravity in the Republican Party. "Monday will create a sense of vindication for Trump's team as he prepares to return to office, and will deliver another blow to Trump critics who had hoped voters would see his inaction during the riot and his rhetoric in the years since as disqualifying," The Hill's Brett Samuels writes. Some Republicans have tried shifting the narrative: Rep. Mike Collins (R-Ga.) posted a "#ThisDayInHistory" on X this morning, describing the day as when "thousands of peaceful grandmothers gathered in Washington, D.C., to take a self-guided, albeit unauthorized, tour of the U.S. Capitol building." 🔎 Read Collins's full description of the day Trump's incoming White House press secretary shared a similar sentiment: Karoline Leavitt accused the media of refusing "to report the truth about what happened that day" in a statement. 🕰️ Throwback: HuffPost's Igor Bobic was right in the center of the violence on that day. This morning, he reposted his 2021 footage of "the scary moment when protesters initially got into the building from the first floor and made their way outside Senate chamber." 📹 Watch that chilling footage Should we expect any drama this year?: Probably not. Security is heightened, but there is expected to be little fanfare today. The snowstorm should also make the day quieter. Harris's awkward role today: In her role as vice president, Kamala Harris will be the one to formally certify Trump's Electoral College win. The Hill's Alex Gangitano pointed out that Harris is not the first vice president in recent history to be in this predicament — "Richard Nixon, who was vice president when he lost to President Kennedy, and Al Gore when he lost to President George W. Bush." Don't forget: Trump's first VP Mike Pence drew Trump's outrage when he refused to go along with pressure to reject Biden's electoral win. Read more: 'Harris readies to certify Trump's election win – and her decisive defeat' |
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➤ BIDEN CHIMED IN THIS MORNING: |
President Biden published an op-ed in The Washington Post titled, "What Americans should remember about Jan. 6." The gist: "Four years ago, our democracy was put to the test — and prevailed." Excerpt: "Thousands of rioters crossed the National Mall and climbed the Capitol walls, smashing windows and kicking down doors. Just blocks away, a bomb was found near the location of the incoming vice president, threatening her life. Law enforcement officials were beaten, dragged, knocked unconscious and stomped upon. Some police officers ultimately died as a result." |
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- The Washington Post: The fate of nearly 1,600 Jan. 6 defendants depends on Donald Trump
- Fox News: DOJ considers charging 200 more people 4 years after Jan. 6 Capitol attack
- Op-ed in The Hill: I was there on Jan. 6 — we cannot allow Trump to rewrite history
- The Atlantic: Don't Mention the Coup!
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Lawmakers, I hope you have some snow boots handy: |
Lawmakers dredged through the snow this morning to gather on the House floor, where they will certify President-elect Trump's election win. What's happening right now?: Senators are meeting in the chamber to walk jointly to the House floor for the official certification, which kicks off at 1 p.m. 🗨️ Follow The Hill's live blog for updates today Washington is getting slammed with snow: The federal government and District schools are closed today. The Metro says to expect disruptions for bus routes. Normally, Congress would cancel session. But not this time. Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) encouraged lawmakers to stay in town this past weekend to move forward with their business despite the snow. 💻 Livestream of the snowy U.S. Capitol building |
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➤ SNOWY CAPITOL HILL TIDBITS:
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What's the vibe in the Capitol?: "The inside of the Capitol feels like a militarized zone," CNN's Haley Talbot posted on X. "Tons of security." Aw, there's no sledding today: Fox News's Chad Pergram posted, "No sledding on Capitol Hill today for the kids because of all of the extra security for January 6 and election certification." 📸 Photo Spotted in the D.C. snow: A New York Police Department (NYPD) van. 📸 Photo
The security situation: "Security is absolutely crawling at the otherwise vacant Capitol. Secret Service, ATF, Capitol Police, MPD. Saw some NYPD vehicles outside. Given the snow, it may be even less eventful than it was shaping up to be." (From Politico's Kyle Cheney) 📸 The snowy Capitol Hill parking lot
New England Dunkins must be scoffing: The Dunkin' in the Longworth House Office Building is closed today for the snow. (From @MarkTMcDevitt) 📸 The sign Omg, this looks like 'The Last of Us': ABC 7's Tom Roussey posted photos from a grocery store in the DMV. It almost looks like it was ransacked. 📸 Photo from the produce aisle On the other side of Pennsylvania Ave.: The White House looks so magical in the snow. 📸 Snowy White House early this morning If you do have today off: Washingtonian's Jane Godiner did some good work pulling together a list of snow day food and drink specials around D.C. today. ☃️ Lol, there's a 'Snowball Fight Association': The Washington DC Snowball Fight Association (DCFSA) organized a massive snowball fight in Meridian Hill Park in D.C. 🤺 Details from WUSA9 |
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➤ WHAT'S THE WEATHER FORECAST?:
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Capital Weather Gang predicts that the snow will end around midnight tonight. Snow accumulation totals could reach around 6-12 inches. And don't kill the messenger, but …: Another winter storm is possible this weekend. Check back throughout the day ➡️ Capital Weather Gang updates |
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"Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau resigned on Monday, ahead of general elections later this year in which the ruling Liberal party is polling badly, and amid tensions with President-elect Trump who has threatened steep tariffs on the country over border policies." Keep in mind: "Trudeau, 53, has served as prime minister for nine years and as Liberal leader for 11 but was facing mounting crises and troubling polls against the Conservative Party led by Pierre Poilievre." 💻 |
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Shall we put a pin in that?:
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President-elect Trump's legal team wants Judge Juan Merchan to hold off on sentencing Trump in his New York criminal conviction ahead of his Jan. 20 inauguration. When is the sentencing currently scheduled?: For Jan. 10 Keep in mind: Merchan ruled last week that Trump's sentencing could move forward despite his return to the White House. What happens now?: "[Trump's attorneys] asked Merchan to notify the parties by 2 p.m. EST Monday whether he will cancel the sentencing and said they would be filing two appeals Monday in state court." Read more from Ella Lee and Zach Schonfeld: 'Trump lawyers push to halt Jan. 10 hush money case sentencing' |
Republicans' plan to pass President-elect Trump's agenda is to do it through reconciliation, a process that avoids a filibuster. There's been an ongoing question of whether lawmakers would split Trump's priorities into two reconciliation bills or do it all at once. There are pros and cons for either strategy. Well, Trump weighed in on Monday, telling conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt that he would rather Congress pass it all in one bill. Trump did say he's open to the two-bill approach, though.
What's on his agenda? "We must Secure our Border, Unleash American Energy, and Renew the Trump Tax Cuts, which were the largest in History, but we will make it even better – NO TAX ON TIPS," Trump said on social platform X.
FWIW: Tariffs on foreign imports are unlikely to offset the cost of new spending and tax cuts, according to the Tax Policy Center, and "likely would add trillions of dollars to the federal debt." |
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The House and Senate are in. President Biden is in New Orleans this afternoon. Vice President Harris is in Washington. (all times Eastern) | - Today: Former President Jimmy Carter lies in repose in Atlanta. 💻 Livestream
- 12:20 p.m.: Biden and first lady Jill Biden leave for New Orleans.
- 12:40 p.m.: Senators gather to walk together to the House.
- 1 p.m.: The House holds a joint session of Congress to count the electoral ballots. 💻 Livestream / 📆 Today's agenda
- 7 p.m.: The Bidens attend an interfaith prayer service with families and community members impacted by the New Year's Day attack. 💻 Livestream
- 9 p.m.: The Bidens leave New Orleans and fly to Los Angeles.
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