The Daily Valet. - 1/7/21, Thursday

✔️ What a Day

January 07, 2021

Thursday, January 7th Edition

Cory Ohlendorf, Editor in Chief of Valet.

I hope this email finds you ... well, still standing.

Cory Ohlendorf , Editor ⋯ @coryohlendorf

Today’s Big Story

Anarchy at the Capitol

Mayhem interrupted Congress, but didn't change any outcomes

The scenes in Washington yesterday were surreal to say the least: What started as a relatively calm protest grew into a rampage through the United States Capitol, with lawmakers ushered to secure locations or barricaded inside chambers while an armed mob broke through doors and looted offices.

A woman was fatally shot by U.S. Capitol Police and three others died in “medical emergencies,” reports NBC News. It took more than two hours, and reinforcements from other law enforcement agencies, before order was restored.

At least 52 people were arrested, according to DC's Metropolitan Police Department, including five on weapons. Most of the arrests were for violating the 6 p.m. curfew, and police said they will circulate pictures of those sought for breaching the Capitol.

By day’s end, some Republicans actually discussed removing the president from power under the 25th Amendment while several top aides top aides weighed resigning over Trump’ s role in inciting the angry mob's insurrection, reports the Washington Post.

The mob succeeded in forcing Congress to halt the certification of the Electoral College votes, but only temporarily. Senators and representatives returned to work after the building was clear and vowed to work through the night. The stated goal of the mass gathering—a reversal of the certified election results—remained out of reach.

DC Mayor Muriel Bowser did announce that she’s extending the public emergency to 15 days. This will take the emergency declaration until the day after President-elect Joe Biden’s inauguration.

↦ Dig Deeper: A closer look (and some shocking footage) of how pro-Trump rioters broke into the U.S. Capitol.

Congress Confims Biden’s Win

Exactly two months later, the count was exactly what it was when it was called on November 7th

Vice President Pence declared Democrat Joe Biden the winner of the presidential election (and Kamala Harris as the next Vice President) after Congress counted the electoral votes after a day of disruptions and threats of violence, along with objections by half a dozen Trump loyalists.

Inside the Senate chamber at 3:32 a.m., Pence cited the results for Biden’s victory in Vermont, which pushed the Democrat past the 270 electoral votes for Congress to confirm him as the next president nearly 15 hours after the joint session began, reports the Washington Post.

The vice president followed through on what he said he was going to do earlier on Wednesday. He told lawmakers in a 2½-page letter that he would fulfill his constitutional duties despite the president’s wishes.

In a somewhat surprising twist, following the formal affirmation of Biden's victory, President Trump accepted the results, saying it "represents the end of the greatest first term in presidential history," reports Fox News. In a statement, he said "Even though I totally disagree with the outcome of the election, and the facts bear me out, nevertheless there will be an orderly transition on January 20th."

Why People are Talking About Social Media

Warning signs, flagged tweets and lockdowns

On Wednesday, online chatter became real-world violence, leading to the mob overtaking the halls of Congress and uploading celebratory videos and photographs of themselves, encouraging others to join them at various state capitals.

According to ABC News, officials missed multiple red flags and warning signs widely circulating on social media, and the lack of preparation lead to yesterday's unprecedented breach. After Facebook and Twitter began to crack down on extremist groups over the summer, they slowly migrated to other sites like Gab that allowed them to openly call for violence.

After Trump tweeted that the vice president “didn’t have the courage to do what should have been done,” dozens of messages on Gab called for those inside the Capitol building to hunt down Pence.

Twitter locked the president account for 12 hours after removing three tweets that contained “repeated and severe violations” of its civic integrity policy, reports The Verge. It says the account will be permanently suspended if violations continue.

↦ Meanwhile: American diplomats overseas were told Wednesday to suspend all social media, commonly ordered by the State Department when there is a terrorist attack or a massive natural disaster.

All the Pets Have Been Adopted ... Nearly

Shelters are running out of homeless animals

Today in good news: So many pets have been adopted during the pandemic that shelters are actually running out of animals. Some shelters and humane rescue groups are seeing double the typical number of requests from people to adopt dogs since the pandemic hit the United States in early spring.

The increased demand for furry companionship is seeing animals that would otherwise be considered less desirable, finding homes—specially senior dogs and cats.

Shelter Animals Count, which runs a database that tracks shelter and rescue activity, looked at recent pet adoptions and saw the national pet adoption rate jump 34% over the same time a year earlier.

And thankfully, pandemic-related job losses and economic trouble hasn't caused a spike in pet surrenders. But some animal advocates worry that some may come once eviction moratoriums are lifted.

In Other News

Other Things We’re Talking About Today

The next possible James Bond

The Weeknd’s “Save Your Tears”

Over the shoulders sweaters

Looking to Give Back?

This small gesture makes a big impact

It feels good to help others. We know that. Contributing to a cause and bettering the world will no doubt give you an improved sense of wellbeing. Especially at a time when so much can feel out of your control.

Of course, philanthropy is mostly an initiative reserved for the wealthy. But there is a meaningful way to give that doesn't cost much and makes a huge impact on your local community.

Surveys by the USDA and the Census Bureau show that hunger has risen steeply in the United States. What's more, the pandemic is creating "a perfect storm for food banks across the country," says Zuani Villarreal of Feeding America.

Food banks and local pantries can often be overlooked as places to give—they're not as flashy as an online campaign or something you post about on social media. But they're an extremely worthy cause and are in desperate need of support. Today, we outline the best way to support hunger in your local community along with the foods they need most.

↦ Read: Where to find your local food bank and what you should be donating.