Justice Department prosecutors have contacted representatives of Former Vice President Mike Pence to plead his testimony in a criminal investigation into attempts by former President Donald Trump and his allies to block the transfer of power after the 2020 election, as people are familiar with the matter.
Pence’s team said the former vice president was open to discussing a possible deal with the Justice Department to testify, one person said. The New York Times first report Outreach to Pence. President Pence to testify in a Jan 6 criminal investigation.
The request comes before the Department of Justice appointed a special counsel to oversee two Trump-related investigations, including one involving Jan. 6, 2021, and another involving alleged handling of classified material.
Improperly found in Palm Beach, Florida, Trump’s home and resort. It’s unclear whether Jack’s special counsel appointment. How will Smith affect discussions between the Department of Justice and Pence’s team?
The Justice Department declined to comment for CNN, as did representatives for Pence.
Pence recently published a memo saying, describe some of his interactions With Trump as the former president trying to overturn the 2020 election results, the book’s publication raised expectations that the Justice Department would likely seek information about those interactions as part of a criminal investigation.
Pence declined an interview request from the House Select Committee that investigated on Jan. 6, but he did allow senior aides to testify at the House investigation. as well as in the Department of Justice’s criminal investigations.
CNN previously reported that the Justice Department received a response from Pence’s top counsel, Greg Jacobs and Mark Short, in a landmark court victory. This could make criminal investigations more likely. More access to Trump’s inner circle.
Jacob’s Oct. 6 testimony was the first to be identified when the secrecy Trump sought to maintain surrounding the West Wing after the 2020 election was hacked into. Criminal interrogation room after court battle A week later Jacob spoke to the grand jury again. Short also had his own grand jury appearance.
Among a large group of former top Trump officials Jacob was one of the most furious voices condemning the president’s actions after the election. especially concerning the pressure he and his election attorney, John Eastman, tried to pressure Pence to block. Congress recognizes the presidential vote.
in his personal diary The former vice president wrote, Trump had warned him days before the Jan. 6 attack on the US Capitol that he would inflict hatred on hundreds of thousands of people because he was “too honest” to try to overturn the 2020 election results.
Pence said Trump was “reckless” with a tweet attacking the vice president later that day. Pence criticized the former president for the events surrounding the riots. He wrote directly to Trump that he was angry and what he saw that day angered him.
Still, Pence said earlier this month that Congress He said he was “unauthorized” in his testimony and that he was “shutting the door” on it from presenting it to the House Select Committee – prompting criticism from two senior members of the committee.
“The selection committee has acted respectfully and responsibly in our involvement with Vice President Pence.
It is therefore disappointing that he misrepresented the nature of our investigation while giving interviews to promote his new book,” said Representatives Bennie Thompson and Liz Cheney, chairman and vice chairman of the board, in a joint statement.
