Obama Urges Republican Lawmakers To 'Choose Reality' Accept Electoral College Results

Former President Barack Obama blamed President Trump for the violence at the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday and urged Republican lawmakers to "choose reality" and counter the president's misinformation by accepting the results of the Electoral College.

Mr. Obama said the violence was "incited by a sitting president who has continued to baselessly lie about the outcome of a lawful election," adding that "For two months now, a political party and its accompanying media ecosystem has too often been unwilling to tell their followers the truth — that this was not a particularly close election and that President-Elect Biden will be inaugurated on January 20." 

"Right now, Republican leaders have a choice made clear in the desecrated chambers of democracy," Mr. Obama said. "They can continue down this road and keep stoking the raging fires. Or they can choose reality and take the first steps toward extinguishing the flames. They can choose America." 

After being evacuated from the building earlier in the day, lawmakers have now returned to the Capitol to count the Electoral College votes and seal President-elect Biden's victory in the November election. It is not yet clear if the lawmakers who previously said they would object to the results will change their minds after Wednesday's violence.