Columbus Closes Buildings, Increases Security For Inauguration Protests: Reporters Roundtable

Supporters of President Trump are expected to demonstrate in state capitals and Washington, DC this weekend to protest Joe Biden's inauguration as the 46th President.
 

Biden will be sworn in on Wednesday.
 

The FBI reportedly received information about the "armed protests" planned by those who hold on to the notion that Trump's re-election was "stolen".  To date there has been no proof or evidence offered of widespread fraud in the 2020 election.
 

With the scenes from the storming of the Capitol on January 6 still fresh in everyone's memory Ohio leaders say they are taking steps to keep protests from growing out of hand.  Security has been increased around the Ohio Statehouse and the governor says it and other government buildings in Columbus will be shuttered beginning Sunday and lasting through Inauguration Day.  Cleveland says it will close City Hall and some other downtown buildings as a precautionary measure.

Preparations for these pre-inauguration protests come as fallout from the January 6 insurrection at the Capitol is still fresh in everyone's minds.
 

President Trump issued a video statement Wednesday urging his supporters to remain calm and condemning mob violence--including the attack on the Capitol.
 

The statement came just after the House of Representatives voted to impeach Trump for a second time--passing an article of impeachment for incitement of insurrection.
 

He is the first president to be impeached twice--and unlike last year, 10 Republican lawmakers voted with Democrats.
 

One of the 10:  Congressman Anthony Gonzalez from Ohio's 16th Congressional District.

Governor DeWine is urging patience as the state begins its next phase of vaccine distribution.
 

This next group includes Ohioans over 65, school workers and those with certain medical conditions. The vaccine schedule calls for those over 80 to be vaccinated first beginning next week.  The following week those over 75 will be eligible, and in the subsequent weeks those over 70 and those over 65. School employees can be vaccinated beginning February first but the governor is requiring districts to sign off on some measure of in-person learning as well whether that be fully in class or a hybrid format.

This is a big group of eligible Ohioans but the amount of vaccine the state will be receiving is just a fraction of what would be needed.  As a result it could take some time to get the vaccines to all who want them.  Counties have been announcing their distribution plans.  There is no centralized efforts to sign up Ohioans for the vaccine.

This week also came word from Columbus of new strains of COVID-19 circulating there.

- Nick Castele, Reporter, Ideastream
- Lisa Ryan, Health Reporter, Ideastream
- Karen Kasler, Statehouse News Bureau Chief, Ohio Public Radio/TV