Baker: Capitol Violence 'Sad But Predictable' After President Trump's Attacks On Election
BOSTON (CBS) -- Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker said the violence at the United States Capitol that occurred Wednesday when supporters of President Donald Trump stormed the complex come as no surprise given Trump's "baseless" challenges to the 2020 election.
Earlier in the day Trump urged his supporters to march to the Capitol after giving a speech at a protest of the Electoral College certification process happening in Congress.
"The chaos now unfolding is the sad but predictable outcome of weeks of attacks perpetrated by President Trump and his supporters against the democratic process that makes America the greatest nation on earth," Baker, a Republican, said in a statement. "These baseless challenges to President-elect Biden's victory must stop."
Trump in a recorded video message repeated his false claims about a "stolen" election Wednesday afternoon before telling followers to "go home now."
"I join with Americans from every corner of the country to condemn the violence unfolding at the Capitol, and President Trump and his supporters must do the same immediately," Baker said.
Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito echoed Baker's call for peace.
"The horrific violence unfolding at the Capitol is an attack on our democracy and should be condemned without qualification by President Trump and his supporters," she said. "It is time for all Americans to embrace a peaceful transition of power and move forward to heal our nation."
Baker said earlier this week that objections to Biden's Electoral College win in Congress are "an affront to democracy."
Baker, a frequent Trump critic, did not vote for the president or Biden in the election. In the days after the election, Baker slammed "baseless" claims about voter fraud and said it was "wildly inappropriate" to delay the transition.
