Washington: The U.S. government has announced enhanced security measures for the congressional certification of the upcoming Nov. 5 election results, set for Jan. 6, in an effort to prevent a recurrence of the January 2021 Capitol attack by supporters of former President Donald Trump.
Significance of the Event
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has designated the certification process as a “national special security event”, according to a statement by the U.S. Secret Service on Wednesday. This classification highlights the increased security risk and authorizes the deployment of federal, state, and local resources to safeguard the event. Former President Donald Trump, the Republican candidate, is facing Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris in what is shaping up to be a closely contested election, according to recent polls.
This special designation also puts the Secret Service in charge of coordinating the security plan, ensuring a multi-agency response. The recommendation for this designation stems from reports issued by a congressional probe and a watchdog investigation into the 2021 Capitol attack, underscoring the need for enhanced precautions.
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Background and Context
In 2020, Trump lost the presidential election to Democrat Joe Biden, though he falsely claimed to have won. For weeks following the election, Trump urged Congress to reject the certification of the results. This ultimately led to the violent events of Jan. 6, 2021, when a mob of his supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol in a failed attempt to prevent the certification of Biden’s victory.
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Trump’s alleged involvement in the events leading up to the Capitol riot has been thoroughly investigated by a congressional committee. As a result, he faces multiple indictments, including charges related to his attempts to illegally overturn the 2020 election outcome.
