Donald Trump (left), Mike Pence.Photo: Getty (2)
Mike Pencesays that, despiteDonald Trump’s “reckless” words leading up tothe Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot, he is “not yet convinced that they were criminal.”
Pence made the remark in an interview on CNN’sState of the UnionSunday, when host Dana Bash asked the former vice president about an ongoing grand jury investigation into the Capitol riot and the former president’s efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 election in his favor.
Just last week, Trump said on social media that he expects to be indicted in the matter after special counsel Jack Smithsent him a letterconfirming that he is a target of the probe.
“While his words were reckless, based on what I know, I am not yet convinced that they were criminal,” Pence said.
Elsewhere in the interview, Pence reiterated that he had “no right to overturn the election,” despite Trump’s repeated pleas that he do so afterJoe Bidenwon both the electoral and popular vote.
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Rioters storm the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, in an effort to stop Congress from certifying the results of the presidential election.Samuel Corum/Getty
Hours before thedeadly riotat the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, Pence issued a public statement saying he had no authority to try and overturn the votes — a move that angered Trump, who took to Twitter to say Pence “didn’t have the courage to do what should have been done to protect our Country and our Constitution.”
As Pence’s statement was released, the vice president and congressional lawmakers began to gather to count Electoral College votes.
Trump’s supporters eventually overpowered Capitol police and forced their way into the building in a scene that ultimately led to the deaths of four people as well as the evacuation of Congress and the vice president himself, who was whisked to an undisclosed location.
As they entered the building, Trump’s supporters were filmed chanting “Hang Mike Pence” — words that Trump latersaid were “common sense.”
Both Pence and Trump are nowrunning for presidentin 2024.
If the former president were to be indicted for his role in the Capitol riots, it would be his third indictment in recent months. Trump made history when he becamethe first U.S. president to be charged in a federal investigation. He was also arraigned earlier this year in aseparate investigationat the state level, the first time a U.S. president faced any form of criminal charges.
source: people.com
