Good morning. I'm James Holman from the Washington Post and this is the Daily

202 for Thursday January 7th. In today's news, some White House aides resign in protest as others discuss the 25th

amendment.

Joe Biden taps Merrick Garland for attorney general after Democrats win control of the

Senate, and yesterday was the deadliest day yet of the pandemic

as nearly 4,000 Americans died from COVID.

But first, the big idea.

Shaken and angry following the violent assault on our nation's capital by a mob of President Trump's supporters.

Lawmakers in Congress put a final stamp on Joe Biden's victory at 344 a.m. nearly 21 hours after the proceedings began and

what may be remembered is one of the darkest days in US history.

Republicans at one point plan to object to the Electoral College votes in a series of states won by Biden,

but after the storming of the Capitol, several senators changed course, disputing only Arizona

and Pennsylvania.

Both challenges failed.

Shortly after Congress affirmed Biden's win,

the White House issued a statement in which the President pledged

a, quote, orderly transition,

but stopped short of conceding or congratulating Biden.

In the final moments of the joint session, Senate Chaplain Barry Black said a prayer,

lamenting what he called the desecration of the United States Capitol Building, the shedding of innocent blood, the loss of life, and the quagmire of dysfunction that threaten our democracy.

As Vice President Pence-Gaviled the meeting to a close, the Democrats present gave only a half-hearted show of applause.

The lawmakers convened last night in a show of defiance.

...