Business groups condemn mob attack on Capitol

The Business Roundtable called for an end to the riots at the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday, adding that efforts to overturn the election results are unlawful. 

“The chaos unfolding in the nation’s capital is the result of unlawful efforts to overturn the legitimate results of a democratic election. The country deserves better. Business Roundtable calls on the President and all relevant officials to put an end to the chaos and to facilitate the peaceful transition of power,” the trade group said in a statement. 

The Business Roundtable is made up of CEOs from top U.S. companies, including General Motors, Apple, JPMorgan Chase and Johnson & Johnson. Walmart CEO Doug McMillon serves as the association’s chairman and the CEO is Joshua Bolten, former chief of staff under President George W. Bush. 

Trump supporters descended on the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday to protest the count of the Electoral College vote during a joint session of Congress.

Rioters breached the Capitol as the House and Senate were debating the first of a number of Republican objections to the election results in the state of Arizona.

Lawmakers in both chambers were evacuated shortly after the breach. 

Bolten has been critical of Trump in the past. In November, he called for the presidential transition to proceed and said that top U.S. companies are concerned about what impact the delayed transition would have on the economic recovery from the coronavirus pandemic.

Another trade group on Wednesday, the International Franchise Association, condemned the violence in Washington, D.C. and called on leaders to “take the high road” and work towards the peaceful transfer of power. 

“While the right to peaceful protest is a fundamental American right, there is no excuse for these actions – or for instigating them. The American people deserve better,”  CEO Robert Cresanti said in a statement.

The association that represents the banking industry, the American Bankers Association, also called on lawmakers to “immediately condemn today’s mob riot.”

The National Association of Manufacturers CEO Jay Timmons urged Vice President Pence to “seriously consider” working with Trump’s Cabinet to invoke the 25^th Amendment, which delineates presidential succession.

In addition, U.S. Chamber of Commerce CEO Thomas Donohue called on the “attacks” on the Capitol building to end, stating that Congress should meet again tonight “to accept the report of the Electoral College.”