Fallout from riot, virus leaves toxic mood on Capitol Hill

WASHINGTON (AP) – The mood is so bad at the U.S. Capitol that a Democratic congressman recently let an elevator pass him by rather than ride with Republican colleagues who voted against certifying Joe Biden’s election. Republicans say it’s Democrats who need to move past the Jan. 6 riot at the Capitol, end the coronavirus restrictions on lawmakers and make an effort to reach across the aisle. Not yet 100 days into the new Congress, the legislative branch has devolved into a toxic and deeply unsettling place in the post-Donald Trump era. In the House, which remains partly shuttered by the pandemic, trust is particularly low.

By LISA MASCARO

AP Congressional Correspondent