PBS News Hour - Politics

In our news wrap Thursday, nearly 3,900 people died from COVID-19 Wednesday -- the highest one-day total so far, President-elect Joe Biden introduced federal Appeals Court Judge Merrick Garland as his pick for attorney general, fresh violence kills at least 23 civilians and security troops in Afghanistan, and the court system in Iraq has issued an arrest warrant for President Trump for murder. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

The nation on Wednesday witnessed a grave breach of its democratic traditions. For the first time in American history, supporters of the losing presidential candidate have forcibly disrupted the official counting of electoral votes. John Yang reports. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

In a historic and tragic day, lawmakers returned late Wednesday to continue certifying electoral votes in the 2020 presidential election, a process that was disrupted by a chaotic scene, as protestors broke into the U.S. Capitol. One woman was fatally shot by police in the violent intrusion. Lisa Desjardins, Yamiche Alcindor and Amna Nawaz join Judy Woodruff to break down the latest. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

Hours after a pro-Trump mob broke into the U.S. Capitol Wednesday, the president continued to make false claims about the election results. Mary McCord, former acting assistant attorney general for national security at the Department of Justice. She now teaches at Georgetown Law School, and joins Judy Woodruff to discuss some of the extremist elements of his base. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

In the midst of the chaos at the Capitol, we saw a shift of power in the U.S. Senate after the vote in Georgia as Democrats won both runoff elections. William Brangham has the story. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

Even for veterans of Capitol Hill Wednesday was a day like no other. As an angry mob broke into the Capitol Democrats in Georgia captured both runoff elections, creating a 50-50 split in the Senate. Mississippi Republican Trent Lott and South Dakota Democrat Tom Daschle shared power for their respective parties the last time the body had a 50-50 split in 2001. They join Judy Woodruff to discuss. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

All eyes are on Georgia, where polls closed in two runoff elections that will determine control of the U.S. Senate. Stephen Fowler, a political reporter for Georgia Public Broadcasting and host of the Battleground: Ballot Box podcast, joins Judy Woodruff to discuss the latest. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

All eyes are on Georgia, where voters went to the polls on Tuesday to decide the fate of the U.S. Senate. Stephen Fowler, a political reporter for Georgia Public Broadcasting and host of the Battleground: Ballot Box podcast, joins Judy Woodruff to discuss the latest. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

In our news wrap Tuesday, the white police officer who shot and paralyzed a Black man in Kenosha, Wisconsin last summer will not be charged, the U.S. death toll from COVID-19 tops 356,000, the nation's top national security agencies acknowledge Russia is likely responsible for the recent cyberattack in the U.S., and the Trump administration rolls back more government regulations. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

It is a transition like no other with President Trump denying election results and defying the democratic process. In Washington D.C., hundreds met outside the U.S. Capitol in support of the president -- a preview of what's expected to be a much larger protest Wednesday as Congress begins certifying election results. Lisa Desjardins reports, and Sen. Amy Klobuchar joins Judy Woodruff to discuss. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders