The Secret Service has announced increased security measures for the counting and certification of electoral votes at the Capitol in January, following the Jan. 6 riot in 2021. The Department of Homeland Security has designated the event as a national special security event, similar to the State of the Union address and the Super Bowl, in an effort to prevent a repeat of the chaos from four years ago when a mob of President Trump’s supporters stormed the Capitol.
The Secret Service will oversee planning for this event, which marks the first time the certification of electoral votes has received this level of security designation. The Washington Post first reported the new security measures for the January count, with Mayor Muriel Bowser requesting the designation.
The Secret Service cited reports from the House Jan. 6 committee and the Government Accountability Office as reasons for the enhanced security measures, which will unlock federal, state, and local resources for the event. A panel of representatives from various levels of law enforcement will be meeting in the coming weeks to work on planning for the event, which resulted in four deaths and about 140 police officers being assaulted in 2021.
The designation as a national special security event highlights the seriousness and significance of the electoral vote count, emphasizing the commitment to ensuring the safety and security of the event and its participants.
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