One of the targets of TFG's mob was the physical electoral ballots

[LetMyPeopleVote]

We are so fortunate. There were several different goals for the insurrectionists including Mike Pence, Nancy Pelosi, members of Congress and finally the physical ballots used to the counting process. if the insurrectionists had succeeded in any of these goals, TFG would have used this event to declare martial law and invoke the insurrection act at which point the Oath Keepers and others would have been out in force with weapons.

I remember the story about the brave Senate staffers who took time to save the ballots. I did not know that the insurrectionists tore up and ransacked the Senate Parliamentarian's office looking for these ballots

Link to tweet

https://www.rawstory.com/office-ransacked-january-6-reveals/

....the Senate Parliamentarian's office was the most pillaged among the other rooms in the Capitol. CNN's Ali Zaslav posted a video of the office at the time. Karl explained that it was clear those going through the office were looking for something specific and he thinks it was the Electoral College ballots.

The book describes the ceremony of Jan. 6, with "three dark and shiny mahogany boxes brought in by the parliamentarian's office to be carried along as the senators walked over to the House. The boxes looked like relics from a time long past—each one held shut by wide leather straps with brass clasps and locked with a skeleton key."....

As the chambers were being evacuated, a Parliamentarian staffer had the wherewithal to save the ballots as they raced from the chamber, Karl recalled. Wherever the members and staff were evacuated, the ballots were with them.

"I believe that those rioters who were very keenly focused--this was not a protest, it wasn't--this was an effort to stop a transition of power," said Karl. "I believe they were searching for those ballots, with the intent of destroying them, and they were saved, again, by a junior staffer who's named--didn't want her name to be used, doesn't want to be highlighted for doing this. But again, that small step, what would have happened?"

The Senate Staffers who saved these ballots need to be recognized. It the terrorists/insurrectionists have gotten their hands of these ballots, TFG would have used this as an excuse to call off certification and declare martial law

[gab13by13]

1. Yes, and people knew exactly where the Parliamentarian's office was,

and from what I understand it was not an easily found office.

[LetMyPeopleVote]

4. Someone was tipped off and knew where to go

I believe that there were tours given and the terrorists had good maps

[LetMyPeopleVote]

2. Senate salvages Electoral College ballots before rioters break into the chamber

I hope that the J6 Committee recognize the brave efforts of the Senate staffers who saved the physical electoral ballots

Link to tweet

https://www.cnbc.com/2021/01/06/electoral-college-ballots-saved-during-capitol-riots.html

Senate staff saved paper Electoral College ballots before pro-Trump rioters broke into the chamber during a formal count Wednesday, according to a Democratic senator.

Sen. Jeff Merkley of Oregon tweeted a photo of cases containing the state-level presidential election results, which Congress had planned to tally Wednesday before the president’s supporters stormed into the legislature. Merkley said, “If our capable floor staff hadn’t grabbed them, they would have been burned by the mob.”

Congress had started to count the ballots expected to confirm President-elect Joe Biden’s presidential victory over Trump when rioters forced their way into the Capitol. Lawmakers evacuated to secure locations as the president’s supporters swarmed into the House and Senate chambers.

Congress restarted the process of counting the votes Wednesday night. The Senate convened at around 8 p.m. ET. The House gathered again around 9 p.m. ET, after what Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., called a “shameful assault” on democracy “anointed at the highest level of government.”

It would have been possible to replace these ballots but that process would have taken time and it was important to complete the process of counting the ballots that night.

[Mr.Bill]

11. Were there no other copies of them?

That would seem odd.

Bottom line is no matter what happened that day, Trumps presidential term ended at noon on January 20th. Period. There is no constitutional mechanism to extend it.

[malaise]

15. I remember us discussing this on Jan 6

We also heard that there were copies in every state

[Cha]

3. Rt💖TY

💙💛

[fierywoman]

5. Give the staffers Presidential Medals of Freedom.

[Mister Ed]

6. The unsung heroines of that dark day.

Despite their danger, they calmly and ceremoniously carried out those caskets - the very Ark of our Democracy - with fitting dignity.

If not for their determination and presence of mind, that day might have ended very differently.

[cbabe]

7. Saw and loved this at the time. Doing it in heels! Medals all around.

[fierywoman]

12. I'd never seen this -- TY for posting it !!!

[Hekate]

8. Gives me the creeps even now. First the line of succession, then the ballots, then martial law...

In the news reports back then — and even now — the tendency is always to call Pelosi and Pence by their names and not their titles, as Trump did. Being an informal society, so do we all.

It was only when I slowed down in the heat of events and realized the mob calling “Naaaaancy, Come oooout Naaaancy” was intent on killing not just an elderly politician but the Speaker of the House, and that Trump and the mob calling out Pence were intent on killing not just an insubordinate weakling but the Vice President, that it struck me that Trump and his co-conspirators were actually going to clear out the presidential line of succession.

As for the Senate staffers — courage should be recognized.

[kentuck]

9. It's creepy...

at how close they came to total takeover of our government.

It will never be a TV show - it will have to be a series.

[crickets]

10. You're right. None of the news reports really connects those dots.

Next in line is Secretary of State: Mike Pompeo. Well, obviously he wasn't going to be a problem.

It's like ice water in the veins to realize they had planned out the contingencies so thoroughly. They came so close.

One tiny comfort is that it must have been exquisitely frustrating for the little orange toddler sitting in front of the tv all afternoon, waiting for hours for the payoff that never came.

All the gratitude in the world for the staffers and security who got the ballots and the Congress out of the building safely.

[kentuck]

13. This is a disturbing story...

How they had thought out almost every detail.

[Kaleva]

14. There are several official copies of the votes