Former US Vice President Mike Pence has testified before a federal grand jury in a case pertaining to former President Donald Trump’s alleged efforts to sabotage the 2020 election results and the January 6th Capitol Hill incident, according to sources cited by NBC News.
Pence’s testimony is significant because he was the president of the Senate at the time and may be able to provide further details about what Trump was thinking that led to the attack on Capitol Hill. Pence had previously written about his interactions with Trump in his memoir and a Wall Street Journal article, but some details were unclear.
The investigation is being led by Special Counsel Jack Smith and is focused on Trump’s attempts to prevent the election results from being ratified. The former vice president’s testimony is expected to shed light on Trump’s actions leading up to the attack.
Trump attempted to block Pence’s testimony by invoking special privilege, but a federal appeals court rejected his appeal. In response to the subpoena, Pence’s team argued that he was protected by the Constitution’s “speech or debate” clause, which prevents lawmakers from being forced to testify about legislative activity.
However, a federal judge ruled that the clause did not prevent Pence from testifying about alleged illegal behavior by Trump. Last month, Pence said he had nothing to hide and that he believed he had done his duty on January 6th under the Constitution of the United States.
In March, Pence spoke at the Gridiron Dinner for politicians and journalists, where he criticized Trump’s actions and words that he said had endangered his family and everyone at the Capitol that day. “President Trump was wrong. I had no right to overturn the election,” he said, adding that he believed history would hold Trump accountable.
The investigation also includes members of the Proud Boys, a far-right group that was ordered by Trump to remain on standby before the 2020 polls. The Proud Boys’ former leader Enrique Tarrio is facing charges of sedition, and his lawyer has argued that the federal government is trying to make him a “scapegoat” for Trump.
Pence’s testimony could have a significant impact on the ongoing investigation and the potential legal repercussions for Trump and other individuals involved in the events of January 6th.
