‘Assault to our democracy’ + How the delegation handled it + Newsom’s stimulus checks

Congrats! You made it through the first week of 2021. Only 51 more to go.

TRUMP SUPPORTERS BROUGHT D.C. TO A HALT, THEN SHOWED UP IN SACRAMENTO

A mob of supporters incited by President Donald Trump stormed the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday, effectively halting Congress’ certification of electoral votes that would have secured Joe Biden’s election to the White House.

The Capitol was inundated with chaos for several hours as rioters forced their way into the building, smashing windows and pushing past guards, eventually making it into the House chamber. Lawmakers and staffers sheltered in place until the building was secured, around 5:40 p.m.. One woman, who police identified as a civilian, was shot and killed in the attempted siege.

Undeterred by the attempts to halt democratic processes, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi told reporters that the certification of Biden’s election would go on. Lawmakers gathered late Wednesday, where they continued the work of certifying the vote.

“I want to say to the American people: the United States Senate will not be intimidated. We will not be kept out of this chamber by thugs, mobs, or threats. We will not bow to lawlessness or intimidation,” Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said.

At the same time, on the opposite coast, about 300 Trump supporters gathered outside the California Capitol, including a handful of members of the far-right group known as the Proud Boys.

Shortly after 1 p.m., Gov. Gavin Newsom canceled his scheduled COVID-19 briefing, and condemned the insurrection in Washington D.C.

“Peaceful protest is an important mechanism of our democracy, but what we are witnessing in our nation’s Capitol building is reprehensible and an outright assault to our democracy and Democratic institutions,” Newsom said in his statement.

Around 2 p.m., Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg issued a statement saying “in Sacramento, we are continually coordinating with law enforcement to make sure the situation here in California’s Capitol remains under control. Our democracy and the rule of law will prevail.”

HOW CALIFORNIA’S CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION HANDLED THE SIEGE

As the mob of Trump supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Bakersfield, pleaded for additional help. Rep. Scott Peters, D-San Diego, described a chaotic chain of events as Capitol police told those in the House chambers to take off their American flag lapel pins so they wouldn’t be targeted and to be ready to put on gas masks as they tried to leave the room.

Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle condemned the violence. Some, like Rep. John Garamendi, D-Walnut Grove, blamed Trump. Rep. Doug LaMalfa, R-Richvale, who is among those who said they would challenge certification of Biden’s victory, said in a statement that “violence, no matter by who or for what reason is inexcusable and must be dealt with immediately, forcefully and with the full force of the law.”

Rep. Karen Bass, D-Los Angeles, said every person who invaded the Capitol should be arrested.

“The people breaking into the Capitol are the same people that scream about law and order when there are Black Lives Matter protests,” Bass wrote on Twitter.

“When this is all over, we will respond and our response will be forceful.”

Some Democrats in the House, like New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, are calling for new articles of impeachment against President Trump, who has about two weeks left in his term.

U.S. Rep. Doris Matsui, D-Sacramento, called on Vice President Mike Pence to invoke the 25th Amendment and convene the cabinet to remove Trump from office.

“The President continues to put himself above the American people and his reckless actions to undermine our democracy must be met with equal consequence,” Matsui wrote in a tweet.

MEANWHILE, NEWSOM PROPOSES HIS OWN STIMULUS CHECKS

Via Sophia Bollag...

The governor is set to announce his full budget proposal tomorrow, though we already know a bit about what he wants lawmakers to include.

On Wednesday, Newsom’s office said he’ll ask the Legislature to approve an additional $600 in cash for low-income families and an extension of California’s eviction moratorium to help people through the coronavirus pandemic.

The proposal, which he’s calling the “Golden State Stimulus” would provide help on top of the national stimulus package passed by federal lawmakers late last year. The federal stimulus package provides $600 to people making less than $75,000.

Newsom’s proposal would give money to people who receive the California Earned Income Tax Credit, a credit for families earning less than $30,000 that includes some undocumented and mixed-status families. About 3.9 million households applied for the tax credit last year, according to Newsom’s office.

Earlier this week, he said he’d also like to see an additional $4 billion in the budget to help struggling businesses survive the coronavirus pandemic and invest in green technology.

QUOTE OF THE DAY:

“Kevin you have been a friend for 25 years. This dark day was made possible by your actions. What you do in the next few days will leave your mark in history. Remove him.”

- Project Lincoln Founder Mike Madrid in a tweet to Rep. Kevin McCarthy, apparently calling for the removal of President Trump following the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol.

BEST OF THE BEE:

• $2 billion isn’t enough to reopen schools, leaders say. The heads of of seven large California school districts argue in a letter to Gov. Gavin Newsom that his plan to reopen classrooms falls woefully short of ensuring equitable access to education for students of color and those in low-income communities during the coronavirus pandemic. Via Hannah Wiley
• While Trump supporters were storming the U.S. Capitol and gathering outside the California statehouse, State Senate Minority Leader Shannon Grove was tweeting out conspiracy theories. Via Hannah Wiley
• By the way: Georgia Democrat Jon Ossoff officially won his race for U.S. Senate. The Associated Press declared 33-year-old Ossoff the winner around 4:15 p.m. Wednesday, meaning Democrats will now gain control of the U.S. Senate. Via Nick Wooten