Former Vice President Pence may testify against Donald Trump

Former Vice President Mike Pence will not appeal the call to testify in the investigation into former President Donald Trump and the January 2021 Capitol storming, a spokesperson for Pence said. “It’s really very valuable,” says US correspondent Jan Postma.

This is the investigation Special Counsel Jack Smith launched into Trump’s role in the Jan. 6 storming of the Capitol. Smith is also investigating classified documents found at Trump’s villa in Florida. Postma calls it the legal result of the parliamentary committee around January 6.

For a long time, Pence refused to talk about what happened that day (especially between him and his former boss), but now he’s relented. Innovative, says Postma. After all, Pence played a key role that day as vice president in cementing the Democratic election victory. Postma calls his testimony “really very valuable” and important.

Separation of powers

Each time he was called to testify, Pence invoked the separation of powers: he was president of the Senate on January 6 and cannot testify in that capacity. But the prosecutor has now found a goat way: He has been told not to talk about that role in Congress, only about his conversations with Trump. This is now a reason for him to cooperate, says his spokesman.

Of course, Trump can argue against Pence’s intent, but that will be a rearguard action — the former president has already lost every lawsuit he filed. It’s going to be exciting what Pence tells the prosecutor – he was the man who was in close contact with Trump during the storming, he was pressured by his boss.

“Of course we already know a lot from the January 6 committee, but there are also really missing pieces and you will of course never get those pieces on Trump himself.” Pence is the closest witness to come. He was the vice-president (…). This is the story we all want to hear.

loose rope

By the way, it’s not yet certain that Pence will show the back of his tongue. Not only is it unusual for him, Pence is a presidential candidate like Trump and can be reluctant to criticize Trump. The former president is still by far the most popular candidate and has many fanatical supporters. Anyone who touches her husband is assured of his wrath and anger. And all of Trump’s challengers seem to be swinging on this tightrope: on the one hand to distance themselves from Trump, on the other not to criticize the man too much. “Pence has the problem that virtually all of Trump’s Republican rivals have.”

Also, in Pence’s case, many Trump supporters are still mad at him because they think the election was stolen and Pence can be blamed for Trump no longer being president. He would rather not talk about it at all. He would like everything to go away on its own. But yes, that will not happen.

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