House nearly devolves into a brawl during the objection to Pennsylvania electors


Tempers flared on the House floor early Thursday during speeches for and against an objection to recognizing President-elect Joe Biden's electoral win in Pennsylvania — the final hurdle in the counting of Electoral College votes, delayed by the occupation of the Capitol on Wednesday by a mob supporting President Trump. Rep. Conor Lamb, a moderate Democrat from Pennsylvania, lit into his Republican colleagues, telling them their objections have no merit and "don't deserve an ounce of respect. A woman died out there tonight, and you're making these objections."
There was a commotion from the GOP side after Lamb said the people storming the Capitol would have been arrested if they weren't white, prompting House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-N.Y.) to call for order. "Enough has been done today already to try to strip this Congress of its dignity, and we don't need to do any more," Lamb said, adding that some of his colleagues had fueled the mob by repeating lies about the election. A few moments later, Rep. Andy Harris (R-Md.) objected, saying Lamb was calling him a liar. Pelosi shot down the objection, and then things nearly came to blows.
The benches cleared, and the deputy sergeant at arms got involved. PBS's Lisa Desjardins explains what happened off-camera:
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
"We want this government to work more than they want it to fail," Lamb said after the fight was defused, then ceded the floor.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.
-
18 slang words and phrases we can thank (or blame) Gen Z for
In Depth Younger Americans have put their stamp on our language with these neologisms
By David Faris Published
-
Kennedy: Cutting to the bone at HHS
Feature The Health and Human Services Secretary has laid off 10,000 HHS employees
By The Week US Published
-
Voting: Trump's plan to overhaul elections
Feature Trump signed an executive order requiring voters to provide proof of citizenship and cutting federal election funding for states that use mail-in ballots
By The Week US Published
-
Trump, China up trade war risks with tariff threats
Speed Read China said it would 'fight to the end' after President Donald Trump threatened an additional 50% tariff on Chinese imports
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Supreme Court gives Trump 2 deportation wins
Speed Read The court ruled that the Trump administration could continue to deport Venezuelan migrants
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Judge orders US to recall deported migrant
Speed Read The Trump administration has been ordered to retrieve one of the migrants it sent to a prison in El Salvador due to an 'administrative error'
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Trump calls tariffs 'medicine' as stocks plunge
Speed Read 'Sometimes you have to take medicine to fix something,' the president said of his imposed 10% tariffs on imported goods
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Trump axes NSA head, NSC staff after Loomer advice
Speed Read On the recommendation of Laura Loomer, Trump fired the head of the National Security Agency and several National Security Council officials
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Trump says tariffs 'going very well' as markets fall
speed read US financial markets had their biggest one-day drop since the advent of Covid-19
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Trump rolls out tariffs on virtually all imports
Speed Read On "Liberation Day," Trump announced a 10% baseline tariff on all imports to America and higher reciprocal tariffs for some 60 other countries
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Sen. Booker's 25-hour speech beats Thurmond
Speed Read He spoke for the longest time in recorded Senate history, protesting the Trump administration's policies
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published