Joe Biden steamrolled Democrats objecting to Trump's Electoral College victory
Vice President Joe Biden, presiding over the official Electoral College vote tally on the House floor Friday, had three words for Democratic lawmakers attempting to object to the results of the election.
"It is over," the vice president said, eliciting laughs from House Speaker Paul Ryan, seated behind him, and applause from lawmakers in the chamber.
More than a half-dozen Democratic members of Congress rose to speak at different points, protesting the results. The representatives cited Russian hacking, the legitimacy of the election and electors, alleged voter-suppression laws, and the voting machines themselves as reasons to object the results.
Biden said any objection to the results needed to be in writing and signed by a House member and a senator. The Democratic representatives had not fulfilled both requirements.
"In that case the objection cannot be entertained," Biden said to one lawmaker.
As NPR reported, the proceeding was similar to what played out in January 2001 following President George W. Bush's closely contested election, which included the Florida recount and a Supreme Court decision to stop it.
In Biden's shoes that day was Vice President Al Gore, the Democratic nominee who went up against Bush.