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Former Vice President Mike Pence refuted the notion that former President Donald Trump solely requested him to delay the counting of electoral votes on Jan. 6, 2021, to permit for audits of state election outcomes, disputing the characterization of their interactions made by some members of Trump’s authorized workforce.
“That is not what occurred,” Pence mentioned throughout an interview with “Face the Nation” airing Sunday.
“From someday in the course of December, the president started to be advised that I had some authority to reject or return votes again to the states,” he continued. “I had no such authority.”
On Tuesday, Trump was indicted for a second time on federal expenses. This most up-to-date indictment stemmed from his efforts to stay in energy after shedding the 2020 presidential election, efforts which culminated within the violent assault on the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021.
The indictment included 4 expenses in opposition to Trump: conspiracy to defraud america; conspiracy to hinder an official continuing; obstruction of and try to hinder an official continuing; and conspiracy in opposition to rights.
One of many allegations in opposition to Trump is that he tried to enlist Pence to make use of his ceremonial function in affirming the election vote rely on Jan. 6 to “fraudulently overturn the outcomes of the election.”
“There was no discretion ever given to the vp in historical past, nor ought to there ever be,” Pence advised “Face the Nation.” “I had no proper to overturn the election and Kamala Harris can have no proper to overturn the election once we beat them in 2024.”
The indictment refers to contemporaneous notes taken by the vp within the weeks main as much as Jan. 6, when prosecutors allege Trump repeatedly pressured him to reject the electoral votes.
“Sometimes, notably at essential moments, I had a follow of scribbling a observe or two on my calendar simply to memorialize it and keep in mind it and I did that on this case,” he advised “Face the Nation.” “I usually did not make a follow of taking notes in conferences over the 4 12 months time frame.”
However “given the momentous occasions that have been unfolding,” he took a couple of notes to remind himself of what had been mentioned.
“From very early on, the very first time the president raised the difficulty with me, that he was being advised that I had the correct to overturn the election to reject or return votes, I advised him, I knew I had no such authority,” Pence mentioned.
“I really do imagine that, you understand, nobody who ever places himself over the Structure ought to ever be President of america,” Pence added.
The previous vp additionally recalled an event earlier than Christmas 2020 when Trump requested him “what he thought we must do.”
“We have been simply the 2 of us within the Oval Workplace,” Pence mentioned.
“I keep in mind, I checked out him and I mentioned, look, let all of the lawsuits play out, let the Congress do their work, to think about objections. However I mentioned, on the finish of the day, if the election goes the opposite manner, I mentioned we must take a bow, we must journey across the nation,” he mentioned.
“And I keep in mind, the president is standing in entrance of his desk, listening very intently to me, and I am going to always remember the way in which he simply type of pointed at me as if to, as if to say, that is price occupied with,” Pence continued. “However I do not know what was in his thoughts on the time.”
When requested if he would testify if the case in opposition to Trump went to trial, Pence mentioned he would if summoned.
“We’ll reply to the decision of the regulation if it comes and we’ll simply inform the reality,” mentioned Pence.
He additionally added that he “would hope” Trump would obtain a good trial within the District of Columbia.
“Regardless of the end result of this indictment,” Pence mentioned, “I do know I did my obligation that day.”
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