Mike Pence Testified Before Jan. 6 Grand Jury for Seven Hours
Former Vice President Mike Pence testified for more than seven hours on Thursday to a federal grand jury investigating former President Donald Trump’s role in the January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol.
Pence’s testimony comes as the grand jury is investigating whether Trump and his allies engaged in a criminal conspiracy to overturn the results of the 2020 election. Trump has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing, and he has accused the investigation of being a “witch hunt.”
Pence’s lawyers have said that he will cooperate with the grand jury’s investigation, but they have also said that he will not answer any questions that could violate his constitutional rights.
It is unclear what information Pence may have shared with the grand jury. However, it is possible that he could have been asked about his conversations with Trump in the lead-up to the January 6 attack.
Pence has previously said that he did not have the authority to overturn the results of the election, and he has defended his actions on January 6. In a speech last month, Pence said that he “did my duty” and that he “will not be intimidated.”
Special Counsel Jack Smith was tasked specifically with investigations into blocking the certification of the 2020 election results. Smith is also special counsel on the presidential records case that resulted in the infamous raid on Trump’s home at Mar-a-Lago in Florida.
The Department of Justice released a statement on Smith’s appointment in November:
“Attorney General Merrick B. Garland announced today the appointment of former career Justice Department prosecutor and former chief prosecutor for the special court in The Hague, Jack Smith, to serve as Special Counsel to oversee two ongoing criminal investigations. The first is the investigation, as described in court filings in the District of Columbia, into whether any person or entity unlawfully interfered with the transfer of power following the 2020 presidential election or the certification of the Electoral College vote held on or about January 6, 2021. The second is the ongoing investigation involving classified documents and other presidential records, as well as the possible obstruction of that investigation, referenced and described in court filings submitted in a pending matter in the Southern District of Florida.”
The grand jury’s investigation is ongoing, and it is unclear when it will be completed. However, Pence’s testimony is a significant development in the case, and it is likely to further focus attention on Trump’s role in the January 6 attack.
