What did he discuss with Trump?
Mike Pence testifies on Capitol storm
4/5/2023 11:54 p.m
Mike Pence has long resisted making a statement in the investigation into Trump’s role in the storming of the Capitol. Now the former Vice President is giving up his resistance.
In the investigation into Donald Trump’s attempts to reverse the results of the lost 2020 presidential election, the way has been paved for a possible testimony from his former Vice President Mike Pence. US media reports, citing a Pence spokesman, that the former US Vice President will comply with a corresponding summons. A few days ago, a judge ruled that Pence could be questioned about interactions with Trump regarding potential law violations by the then president. Specifically, it is about the days leading up to the attack on the US Capitol by Trump supporters on January 6, 2021.
After the judge’s decision, Pence initially left open whether he would appeal against it. His spokesman reportedly said Pence would not appeal. This clears the way for a possible statement by the former Trump deputy.
The Justice Department had appointed a special counsel to lead the investigation into Trump. On January 6, 2021, Trump supporters stormed the Houses of Parliament in Washington, while there the victory of his challenger Joe Biden in the presidential election was to be officially sealed. Trump had previously goaded the crowd with unsubstantiated allegations of voter fraud.
Pence was then Vice President of the Capitol session that was interrupted by the attack. Referring to his position, Pence had always rejected the investigators’ demand for a statement about the events of January 6th. Pence also chaired the Senate as vice president, and he invoked a safeguard clause over debates in Congress.
In his memoirs, Pence wrote that Trump and his lawyer had tried to convince him in the days before the meeting to refuse to confirm Biden’s election victory. He therefore spoke out against it. According to the judge’s decision, the vice president could at least be questioned about these conversations.
The investigations into the Capitol attack are among several legal problems facing Trump, who plans to return to the White House in 2024. He only had to appear in New York for an indictment on Tuesday. The public prosecutor’s office there has accused him of falsifying business documents in 34 cases. In addition, the special counsel leading the Capitol storm investigation is investigating possible violations of law related to the removal of classified documents from the White House. Further investigations are underway against Trump in Georgia, where Trump is said to have tried to falsify the election results in his favor.