Mike Pence went on Fox News on what seems like a burn Trump to the ground tour and laid out how Trump specifically asked him to throw out votes and overturn the election.
Pence said:
I say that is completely false and contrary to American history, to our constitution and to the laws of this country. I never considered it, Martha. The first time I heard speculation that as vice president that I had authority to overturn the election by rejecting votes, I frankly dismissed it out of hand. The founders of this country had just won a war of independence against a king. I was confident as a student of American history that those founders would have never vested the vice president or anyone else with unilateral authority to decide what electoral college votes to count and which not to count.
I was clear on that — I was clear with president trump throughout all the way up to the morning of January 6. Let’s be clear on this point. It wasn’t that they asked for a pause. The president specifically asked me in his gaggle of crackpot lawyers asked me to literally reject votes, which would have resulted in the issue of being turned over to the House of Representatives and literally chaos would have ensued.
So Martha, people can read the indictment. Frankly, I’ve said before, I hope that it not come to this point. I don’t know if the government can meet the burden of proof beyond reasonable doubt for criminal charges. But the American people deserve to know that president Trump and his advisers didn’t just ask me to pause. They asked me to reject votes, return votes. Essentially overturn the election. I rejected that out of hand and I did my duty that day.
Video:
Mike Pence says Trump asked him to throw out votes, “The president specifically asked me and his gaggle of crackpot lawyers asked me to literally reject votes, which would have resulted in the issue of being turned over to the House of Representatives.” pic.twitter.com/5LqIwAkn0t
— Sarah Reese Jones (@PoliticusSarah) August 2, 2023
If this is what Mike Pence told Jack Smith, this is the sort of eyewitness testimony that leads to a conviction. It is way too late for Pence to be speaking out now, but saying what he said where he said was clearly a shot at Trump. Mike Pence’s presidential bid has gained no traction, so it isn’t the worst move in the world for him to pick a fight with Trump and hope that Trump elevates him.
Pence isn’t a hero, but if his comments on Fox News reflect what he told federal prosecutors, Trump has a good chance of becoming a convicted felon.
Jason is the managing editor. He is also a White House Press Pool and a Congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. His graduate work focused on public policy, with a specialization in social reform movements.
Awards and Professional Memberships
Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association
