Mike Pence Compelled to Testify in Investigation, Judge Orders
In an ongoing investigation into whether former President Donald Trump sought to overturn his 2020 election loss, a federal judge in the US has ruled that former Vice President Mike Pence must testify before a grand jury
An anonymous source has disclosed that a federal judge has made a decision requiring former Vice President Mike Pence to provide testimony to a grand jury regarding his discussions with Donald Trump leading up to January 6, 2021. However, the judge’s ruling, currently under seal, reportedly states that Pence is within his rights to refuse to answer inquiries related to his activities on January 6, when he presided over the Senate’s certification of the 2020 presidential election.
Chief Judge James Boasberg of the District Court in Washington, DC, has issued a rare ruling that grants special counsel Jack Smith over a dozen wins compelling witnesses to testify before the grand jury. The judge’s decision is noteworthy because it delves into the powers of the vice presidency and the separation of powers. The confidentiality of the sealed ruling makes it difficult to determine the specifics of the judge’s decision.
The Justice Department’s inquiry into whether ex-President Donald Trump tried to overturn his defeat in the 2020 US presidential election has led a US federal judge to order former Vice President Mike Pence to testify before a grand jury.#MikePence#DonaldTrump#Judge#Pencepic.twitter.com/4I46AijAtt
Pence retains the right to appeal the ruling. He has stated that his legal team is currently evaluating the decision and that he will have more to say about the matter in the coming days. Pence made this statement in an interview with Newsmax’s Greta Van Susteren on Tuesday, where he also mentioned that his team is reviewing the requirements for his testimony in the future.
Pressure on Pence to Disrupt Certification of Biden’s Win
Former Vice President Mike Pence faced immense pressure from Donald Trump and his supporters to derail the certification of Joe Biden’s victory in the lead-up to the congressional certification vote. As the president of the Senate, Pence was responsible for overseeing the certification proceedings. Given the magnitude of the attack, Trump’s conversations with Pence in the days leading up to it have been a subject of great interest to investigators. Although Pence refused to testify before the House committee investigating the insurrection, individuals within Trump’s inner circle informed the committee about a heated phone call between Trump and Pence on the day of the attack, in which Trump cast aspersions on his vice president.
Pence and Donald Trump did not communicate during the Capitol insurrection when many of Trump’s followers vehemently sought him out. Pence narrowly escaped the mob that was en route to the Senate floor. Nicholas Luna, an ex-special assistant to Trump, told the committee that he recollected Trump labeling Pence as a “wimp.” Luna claimed that Trump said, “I made the wrong decision four or five years ago.” Julie Radford, who served as Ivanka Trump’s chief of staff, revealed that Ivanka informed her that her father had a disturbing discussion with the vice president.
During the investigation into the Capitol insurrection, Julie Radford testified that Ivanka Trump had told her that her father, Donald Trump, referred to Vice President Mike Pence using a derogatory term. Radford claimed that Trump called Pence “the P-word.” In contrast, Pence has commented on his discussions with Trump regarding the insurrection both before and after it occurred in a memoir he published in 2021. Pence has not revealed any derogatory comments that Trump may have made about him in the book.
Pence’s Account of Discussions with Trump before Insurrection
According to Mike Pence’s book, Donald Trump warned him in the days leading up to the Capitol attack that he would incur the wrath of thousands of people because he refused to overturn the election results. In addition, Pence requested a briefing from his general counsel on the procedures of the Electoral Count Act after Trump mentioned challenging the election results in the House of Representatives during a December 5 phone call. On December 21, during a lunch meeting, Pence attempted to persuade Trump to listen to the advice of the White House counsel’s team rather than outside lawyers. However, Trump rejected Pence’s recommendation.
Mike Pence Compelled to Testify in Investigation, Judge Orders Source: Web
Former Vice President Pence revealed that the former president told him in a New Year’s Day call that he was “too honest” and warned him that hundreds of thousands of people would hate him. Trump also predicted that people would think Pence was stupid. Pence wrote that he responded by telling Trump that he did not question the presence of irregularities and fraud in the election, but ultimately, it was up to Congress to decide the outcome under the law.
Pence to Face Special Counsel
In a significant victory for special counsel Jack Smith, who leads the investigation into the efforts to overturn the 2020 US presidential election, Pence has been ordered to testify and provide documents. The subpoena was issued earlier this year, and Pence and his team had suggested that they would challenge it under the Speech or Debate Clause of the Constitution, which protects lawmakers from certain types of legal actions related to their legislative duties. However, a federal judge has now ruled that Pence must comply with the subpoena and testify to the grand jury, though he can decline to inquire about his actions on January 6.
This ruling adds to a string of successful efforts by Smith to compel witnesses to testify. During an event in February, Pence stated that he would challenge the subpoena issued by the Biden DOJ to appear before the grand jury, claiming that it was unconstitutional and unprecedented. He argued that his role as president of the Senate during the certification vote on January 6 was protected under the Constitution’s Speech or Debate Clause, which investigators are currently examining.
The court’s challenge to Pence’s subpoena has been kept confidential. The former vice president’s arguments, which he has made public, have been considered untested. His position has been criticized by numerous legal experts, including conservative Michael Luttig, who argued that Pence should certify the election results. Despite his legal fight against the subpoena, Pence has reiterated his commitment to upholding the certification of Biden’s victory and not interfering, as Trump had urged him to do.
