Inauguration committee Republicans sink Democrats' resolution acknowledging Biden victory

Republican leaders on Tuesday shot down a Democratic resolution formally recognizing Joe BidenJoe BidenCotton: Senate lacks authority to hold impeachment trial once Trump leaves office Marjorie Taylor Greene says she will introduce impeachment articles against Biden ICE acting director resigns weeks after assuming post MORE's presidential victory, highlighting the dilemma facing GOP lawmakers leery of breaking with President TrumpDonald TrumpCotton: Senate lacks authority to hold impeachment trial once Trump leaves office Marjorie Taylor Greene says she will introduce impeachment articles against Biden ICE acting director resigns weeks after assuming post MORE, who refuses to acknowledge defeat.

The vote occurred behind closed doors in the Capitol, among members of a bipartisan committee charged with planning the presidential inauguration ceremony on the Capitol grounds. House Majority Leader Steny HoyerSteny Hamilton HoyerThe Hill's 12:30 Report: House moves toward second impeachment Hoyer: MAGA stands for 'Make America Grieve Again' LIVE COVERAGE: House votes to impeach Trump after Capitol insurrection MORE (Md.), a member of the panel, had proposed a motion empowering the committee to "notify the American people" of plans "for the inauguration of Joseph Biden and Kamala HarrisKamala HarrisStates and businesses are essential for the US to become a climate leader Biden formally appoints NSA's Anne Neuberger to key national security position The Hill's 12:30 Report: House moves toward second impeachment MORE," the Democrat said as he was leaving the meeting.

The resolution also would have set limits on attendance at the Jan. 20 event, in consultation with public health experts, to prevent crowding amid a surge in coronavirus cases around the country.

The vote failed on a partisan vote, three to three. All the Republicans on the committee — Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnellAddison (Mitch) Mitchell McConnellCotton: Senate lacks authority to hold impeachment trial once Trump leaves office GOP senators call for commission to investigate Capitol attack Graham urging Biden to get Pelosi to 'call off' impeachment proceedings MORE (Ky.), Sen. Roy BluntRoy Dean BluntUS Chamber of Commerce to stop supporting some lawmakers following the Capitol riots Senate to be briefed on inauguration security after Capitol attack This week: Democrats barrel toward Trump impeachment after Capitol attack MORE (Mo.) and House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthyKevin Owen McCarthyGOP senators call for commission to investigate Capitol attack Here are the House Republicans who voted to impeach Trump Michigan, Ohio Republicans explain votes to impeach Trump MORE (Calif.) — voted against the motion. Hoyer was joined in support by the two other Democrats on the panel, Speaker Nancy PelosiNancy PelosiUnions ask Pelosi and Schumer for T in emergency aid for state and local governments GOP senators call for commission to investigate Capitol attack Graham urging Biden to get Pelosi to 'call off' impeachment proceedings MORE (Calif.) and Sen. Amy KlobucharAmy KlobucharHillicon Valley: Fringe social networks boosted after Capitol attack | Planned protests spark fears of violence in Trump's final days | Election security efforts likely to gain ground in Democrat-controlled Congress US Chamber of Commerce to stop supporting some lawmakers following the Capitol riots Senate to be briefed on inauguration security after Capitol attack MORE (Minn.).

Hoyer said there was agreement on the notion of limiting public participation at next month's inauguration.

"I think there was a consensus that we're going to limit far beyond what we'd like to do," he told reporters.

The Republican opposition, he charged, was rooted in the GOP's "refusing to accept the outcome of the election" and the party's "deference to President Trump's post-election temper tantrums."

"[Their position] threatens our democracy and undermines faith in our system of elections," Hoyer said in a statement later.

Republicans defended their position afterward, arguing that Democrats were getting ahead of the process, since the state electors don't vote to formalize the presidential results until Dec. 14. Blunt accused Democrats of politicizing the committee's mundane role in planning the inaugural event.

“It is not the job of the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies to get ahead of the electoral process and decide who we are inaugurating," Blunt said in a statement. "The JCCIC is facing the challenge of planning safe Inaugural Ceremonies during a global pandemic. I would hope that, going forward, the members of the JCCIC would adhere to the committee’s long-standing tradition of bipartisan cooperation and focus on the task at hand.”

Tuesday's vote came as Trump continues to claim, falsely, that the election was rigged by a conspiracy of state election workers, foreign governments and election technology companies all fighting to tip the scale toward Biden. There has been no evidence of election tampering in any state, however, and even Republican officials overseeing the process have rejected Trump's claims with increasingly urgent appeals for voters to accept the results.

Still, those state-based appeals have not found much audience among Capitol Hill Republicans, who have overwhelmingly declined to recognize Trump's defeat more than a month after the election.

Sen. Lindsey GrahamLindsey Olin GrahamGOP senators call for commission to investigate Capitol attack Graham urging Biden to get Pelosi to 'call off' impeachment proceedings McConnell says he's undecided on whether to vote to convict Trump MORE (R-S.C.), a staunch Trump ally, said Tuesday that he won't weigh in on any Biden Cabinet appointees until Dec. 14, suggesting the election outcome will remain inconclusive until then.

"I'm not going to comment on any Biden nominees until Dec. 14 and then I'll tell you," he told reporters.

Asked if it's time for Trump to concede, Graham was equally evasive.

"I'll talk to you December the 14th."