NJ Gov. Murphy: Trump Spurred 'Act Of Domestic Terrorism'

NEW JERSEY — Gov. Phil Murphy placed blame for the storming of the US Capitol squarely on President Trump on Thursday, calling it an “act of domestic terrorism spurred on by the president himself and his minions.”

Murphy also praised Congress for certifying the results of this year’s presidential election, even after protesters stormed the Capitol building and disrupted the proceedings Wednesday afternoon.

The governor also came down hard on those who invaded the capitol, saying:

“The fact that we all woke up this morning to the reality of President-elect Joe Biden’s election formalized by the United States Congress is proof that our democracy is stronger than an unhinged mob,” Murphy said in a prepared statement on Thursday.

“The scene that unfolded yesterday in the Capitol building will go down as one of the darkest days in our nation’s history. Every insurrectionist who tried to overthrow the free and fair election of President-elect Biden should be identified, arrested, and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law for desecrating the cradle of American democracy. They should be given no quarter. They are not patriots. They are the antithesis of what it means to be an American.”

After a delay of several hours, Congress reconvened and certified Democrat Joe Biden as the nation's 46th president, despite a symbolic fight by Congressional allies of President Donald Trump to subvert the vote.

It was nearly 4 a.m. Thursday before Congress finally made official the results of the 2020 Presidential Election, in which Biden and Kamala Harris collected 306 electoral votes to Trump and Mike Pence’s 232. It’s a delay that was caused directly by the president, Murphy said.

“The president’s refusal to accept the reality that he lost an election created this,” Murphy said. “His years of lies and willful misinformation created this. His belief that the laws don’t apply to him created this. His spewing of unfounded conspiracy theories created this. His unwillingness to understand even the basic precepts of the Constitution created this.”

Trump ultimately said there would be a “peaceful transition of power” on Inauguration Day, set for Jan. 20. On Thursday, Murphy said New Jersey would send 500 members of the New Jersey National Guard to Washington, DC, to assist in that transition.

“I trust they will represent the highest values of our state and our republic,” Murphy said. “I wish them well. And I thank Interim Adjutant General Colonel Dr. Lisa Hou and State Police Superintendent Colonel Pat Callahan for their leadership.”

He said he was relieved Congress was able to complete its task, but made it clear that the attempted coup was “no accident.”

“It was the result of four years of gaslighting and concerted attempts from within to weaken our democracy,” Murphy said. “But our democracy proved more resilient than the deranged conspiracy theories. And for that, I say, God bless America.”