Pence fought an order to testify but now is a central figure in his former boss’s indictment

Mike Pence resisted the Department of Justice’s attempt to make him testify against his former boss. However, in the recent federal indictment, Pence has become a central figure in the criminal charges against Donald Trump, which relate to his attempts to overturn the 2020 election.

The 45-page indictment draws from contemporaneous notes that Pence kept during their conversations leading up to the January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol. Trump had pressured Pence to support his illegal scheme to maintain their power. One episode mentioned in the indictment involved Trump telling Pence that he was “too honest” for not supporting Trump’s false claims that Pence had the authority to overturn the election results.

Pence, now among the Republicans vying for the 2024 presidential nomination, has been defending his decision to defy Trump. He started his campaign by denouncing Trump and emphasizing the importance of upholding the Constitution over any individual’s career.

Despite once being Trump’s vice president, Pence faces challenges in his presidential campaign, with many loyal Trump supporters still blaming him for the election loss. Critics accuse Pence of complicity in Trump’s controversial actions during his time in office.

As the 2024 GOP presidential debate approaches, it remains uncertain whether Pence will qualify to participate due to failing to meet the donor minimum, although he has met the polling threshold.

Pence had resisted testifying before the House committee investigating the January 6 attack, citing the Constitution’s “speech or debate” clause. Eventually, he complied with the court’s order but refused to answer questions related to his role as Senate president.

The indictment outlines the frantic efforts of Trump and his allies to stay in power, including trying to persuade Pence to fraudulently alter the election results. Despite Pence’s refusal to comply, Trump continued to falsely convince his supporters that Pence had the authority to overturn the results, which contributed to the events of January 6.

Ultimately, Pence certified the election, solidifying Trump’s defeat, despite the efforts of some of Trump’s allies to further delay the certification.

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More about Indictment

• “Mike Pence Fought Against Testifying in DOJ Court Battle” (CNN): Link
• “Federal Indictment Details Trump’s Efforts to Overturn 2020 Election” (NBC News): Link
• “Pence Defends Decision to Defy Trump and Launch Presidential Campaign” (ABC News): Link
• “Trump Supporters Blame Pence for Election Loss” (Reuters): Link
• “Pence’s Testimony Before House Committee on January 6 Investigation” (The Hill): Link
• “Trump’s Indictment and His Allies’ Efforts to Stay in Power” (The Washington Post): Link