Inauguration

Now-former Vice President Mike Pence flew to his hometown Columbus, Ind., today after attending President Joe Biden’s inauguration­.

Supporters greeted the former Indiana governor and his family when they landed at the Columbus Municipal Airport this afternoon just before 3 p.m.

Pence spoke to the crowd - thanking God, his family, the Indiana Republican Party, and former President Donald Trump for the opportunity to serve as vice president.

Vice President Kamala Harris has now taken on a role that would have typically been performed by the outgoing president.

Harris and her husband, second gentleman Doug Emhoff, stood on the U.S. Capitol steps Wednesday to bid farewell to her predecessor, former Vice President Mike Pence, and his wife, Karen.

The two couples stood and chatted for a few moments, even laughing, on the steps before the Pences got into a vehicle and were driven away.

Joe Biden and Kamala Harris are being sworn in as the president and vice president of the United States. Watch the ceremony, inaugural address and other celebratory events throughout the day. Live coverage can be watched here starting at 11am. You can also listen to live coverage on 88.1 WVPE from 11am-2pm. 

COLUMBUS, Ind. (AP) — Vice President Mike Pence will be returning to his southern Indiana hometown Wednesday afternoon following the inauguration of President-elect Joe Biden. The Indiana Republican Party says the former Indiana governor and his wife Karen are expected to attend Biden’s inauguration and will then fly into the Columbus Municipal Airport, where they will be greeted by some supporters. Pence grew up in Columbus and some family members still live there.

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer announced today that she will attend the inauguration Wednesday.

LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Airbnb says it will review reservations in Lansing ahead of expected demonstrations at Michigan's state Capitol and may cancel bookings by anyone determined to be part of a hate group or who may have come to the city with violent intentions. The move comes as state government leaders across the U.S. prepare for potential protests ahead of President-elect Joe Biden's inauguration and follows the Jan. 6 storming of U.S. Capitol by supporters of President Donald Trump.

Gov. Eric Holcomb is shutting down state government buildings in Indianapolis for most of next week. He said it’s out of “an abundance of caution” surrounding threats to other state capitols related to President-elect Joe Biden’s inauguration and the recent insurrection at the U.S. Capitol.

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — About 600 Indiana National Guard soldiers are being sent to Washington, D.C., to help with security for next week’s inauguration of President-elect Joe Biden. State officials said Wednesday they were also monitoring possible armed protests but didn’t yet have any threats of violence at Indiana locations. Gov. Eric Holcomb said he had authorized 625 Guard soldiers going to Washington from Saturday until two days after Biden’s Jan. 20 inauguration.

Gov. Eric Holcomb says Indiana is prepared ahead of potential protests this weekend stemming from last week’s insurrection in Washington, D.C.

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb began his second term in office by looking at the coronavirus pandemic, saying the state is "steadily clawing" its way back. Holcomb swore the oath of office Monday during a ceremony before family members and several state officials at the Indiana State Museum, where those attending wore masks as COVID-19 precautions. The 52-year-old Republican governor said he would "remain laser focused" on managing the state's recovery from the pandemic and distributing the coronavirus vaccines. Lt. Gov.

Vice President Pence plans to attend President-elect Joe Biden's inauguration, a source familiar with the decision tells NPR.

The decision comes a day after President Trump announced on Twitter that he would not attend the inauguration.

Trump has spent weeks falsely claiming the election was rigged, culminating in a violent mob of his supporters overtaking the Capitol Wednesday and leading to the deaths of five people.

When President-elect Joe Biden is sworn into office on Jan. 20, one traditional element illustrating the peaceful transfer of power will be missing: outgoing President Trump.

In a tweet Friday morning, Trump said, "To all of those who have asked, I will not be going to the Inauguration on January 20th."

After weeks of falsely claiming that he had won the November election, Trump had not been expected to attend Biden's swearing in.

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — The start of Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb’s second term in January won’t include any large public celebrations because of coronavirus concerns. The Republican governor entered office in 2017 with an inaugural ball at the J.W. Marriott Hotel in downtown Indianapolis and an inauguration ceremony attended by about 2,000 people at the state fairgrounds coliseum. But the state Republican Party chairman says now isn't the right time to celebrate Holcomb's landslide reelection.