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Austin politicians disavow Trump supporters who stormed the U.S. Capitol, prompting a lockdown
The Texas Capitol was closed for much of 2020 and only recently reopened ahead of the 2021 legislative session. The Texas Department of Public Safety reclosed it on Wednesday afternoon.
U.S. congresspeople representing the Austin area and state of Texas disavowed the violent mob of Trump supporters that stormed the U.S. Capitol early Wednesday afternoon, prompting a lockdown.
In the wake of the Georgia special election on Tuesday, which will likely flip the U.S. Senate, Congress was scheduled to affirm President-elect Joe Biden's win in a joint session on Wednesday afternoon. Vice President Mike Pence issued a statement shortly before the session began at 1 p.m., saying that he did not have the power to discard electoral votes in favor of Biden.
Within the hour, however, Trump supporters outside of the Capitol began fighting with Capitol police. They then broke into the building and into its chambers, delaying the congressional proceedings.
Around mid-afternoon, the Texas Department of Public Safety closed the state Capitol and its grounds in response to what is happening at the U.S. Capitol, according to local reports.
U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett, a Democrat who represents a district stretching from Austin to San Antonio, tweeted an update shortly after 2 p.m., disavowing the president.
I am currently safe, but the Capitol has been breached and some colleagues are trapped there. President Trump has s… https://t.co/QAn5eI2KtO— Lloyd Doggett (@Lloyd Doggett)1609963752.0
Doggett was joined by his Republican colleagues U.S. Reps. Roger Williams, Michael McCaul, John Carter and Chip Roy, who also represent districts including portions of Central Texas.
The Constitution gives our citizens the right to peacefully assemble. It does not give them the right to destroy pr… https://t.co/t8je3ve9VT— Rep. Roger Williams (@Rep. Roger Williams)1609964280.0
I like many people voted for President Trump in the 2020 election and hoped for a different result. But violence an… https://t.co/Fh8MqGmkMu— Michael McCaul (@Michael McCaul)1609962032.0
Peaceful protests are a fundamental right in the United States, but violence is absolutely unacceptable. Respect… https://t.co/RaghVT7YL4— Judge Carter (@Judge Carter)1609963886.0
God help us. https://t.co/pEy5JR4du7— Chip Roy (@Chip Roy)1609960173.0
U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, who represents the state of Texas, also commented on the afternoon's events, prompting criticism for his objection to the counting of Arizona's electoral votes because of baseless allegations of widespread voter fraud during the Nov. 3 general election.
Those storming the Capitol need to stop NOW. The Constitution protects peaceful protest, but violence—from Left o… https://t.co/lY1O3sYlGI— Ted Cruz (@Ted Cruz)1609963624.0
President Donald Trump initially encouraged protesters but later told his supporters at the Capitol to "remain peaceful" in a tweet.
Reports show protesters roaming the halls of the Capitol and waving Confederate flags. Journalists, congresspeople and Capitol staff have been photographed hiding behind blockaded doors and lying face down on the ground while armed Capitol security guard them.
Hundreds of Trump supporters gathered at the Texas Capitol on Wednesday morning in solidarity with the D.C. protests and similar events across the country.
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The Texas Department of State Health Services will allocate 332,750 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine to 212 providers this week, with the bulk assigned to hub providers that are focused on widespread community distribution events. Six of those providers are in Travis County.
With the latest allocation of 16,450 sent to Travis County this week, the county will have received 104,275 doses of the vaccine. Local public health officials estimate that there are 285,000 area residents who fall in the 1A and 1B priority groups, meaning that around 37% of them should have access to doses seven weeks into the rollout process.
Here's where the latest allotment is going:
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(Shutterstock)
The California exodus has made headlines for several years now, and even more recently, with thousands of West Coasters seeking tax relief, less-expensive real estate and a simpler lifestyle in Texas' capital city.
However, a California man's scathing review of Austin, which was published in Business Insider on Wednesday, reveals that some are less than satisfied with their move.
Austin may soon be home to a tech plant that would dwarf the Tesla Gigafactory in both investment and job creation.
Samsung Electronics Co. is considering starting construction on a $10 billion memory chip plant in Austin as soon as this year, Bloomberg reported Friday.
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