Pence told Jan. 6 special counsel harrowing details about 2020 aftermath, warnings to Trump: Sources

[riversedge]

Source: abc news




The former VP is the top official known to have spoken with investigators.

By Katherine Faulders, Mike Levine, and Alexander Mallin


November 28, 2023, 4:08 AM

3:12

Pence told Jan. 6 special counsel about warnings to Trump in 2020 aftermath: Sources
Mike Pence told special counsel Jack Smith's team that Donald Trump had almost pushed the country in...

Speaking with special counsel Jack Smith's team earlier this year, former Vice President Mike Pence offered harrowing details about how, in the wake of the 2020 presidential election, then-President Donald Trump surrounded himself with "crank" attorneys, espoused "un-American" legal theories, and almost pushed the country toward a "constitutional crisis," according to sources familiar with what Pence told investigators.

The sources said Pence also told investigators he's "sure" that -- in the days before Jan. 6, 2021, when a violent mob tried to stop Congress from certifying the election -- he informed Trump he still hadn't seen evidence of significant election fraud, but Trump was unmoved, continuing to claim the election was "stolen" and acting "recklessly" on that "tragic day."

Pence is the highest-ranking current or former government official known to have spoken with the special counsel team investigating efforts to overturn the 2020 election. What he allegedly told investigators, described exclusively to ABC News, sheds further light on the evidence Smith's team has amassed as it prosecutes Trump for allegedly trying to unlawfully "remain in power" and "erode public faith" in democratic institutions...........


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However, sources told ABC News, Pence said he grew concerned when, within days of the election, Trump began ignoring the advice of credible and experienced attorneys inside the White House, instead relying on outside attorneys like Rudy Giuliani and Sidney Powell, who pushed notions of widespread election fraud and, as Pence allegedly told Smith's team, "did a great disservice to the president and a great disservice to the country."................

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Read more: https://abcnews.go.com/US/pence-told-jan-6-special-counsel-harrowing-details/story?id=105183391

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[Joinfortmill]

1. Thank God for Judge Luttig, Pence's conscience.

[brush]

28. And former VP Dan Quayle who told him there was no wiggle room. He had to preside over the certification of EC votes.

There was nothing else he could do.

[riversedge]

2. On Christmas Eve-Pence -for a moment said he would follow Trump suggestion and let someone else precide over Jan 6.

Seems no on told Grassley till later [my speculation].



.............But, the sources said, with the pressure on Pence mounting, he concluded on Christmas Eve -- just for a moment -- that he would follow Trump's suggestion and let someone else preside over the proceedings on Jan. 6, writing in his notes that doing otherwise would be "too hurtful to my friend."

"Not feeling like I should attend electoral count," Pence wrote in his notes in late December. "Too many questions, too many doubts, too hurtful to my friend. Therefore I'm not going to participate in certification of election."

Then, sitting across the table from his son, a Marine, while on vacation in Colorado, his son said to him, "Dad, you took the same oath I took" -- it was "an oath to support and defend the Constitution," Pence recalled to Smith's investigators, sources said.

That's when Pence decided he would be at the Capitol on Jan. 6 after all, according to the sources.................

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[tanyev]

3. "too hurtful to my friend"

You mean the "friend" whose supporters wanted to hang you? He's not your friend and he would have gleefully watched that happen, Mike. Geez.

[intrepidity]

15. ::Barf::

Mikey too afraid to even name Trump in his own private notes.

[mainer]

4. A salute to Pence's son, the Marine

Who had a better sense of duty than his father did.

[Ohioboy]

17. Exactly!

It's scary how history can come down to a moment. Glad Pence's son was there in that moment to remind his father of his duty to the Constitution.

[Mr.Bill]

40. What's alarming is

that someone who had been a Governor and the VP of the United States needed to be reminded of it.

[Ohioboy]

43. Yes! Very scary!

Plus, Pence isn't out there warning people against Trump in any meaningful way. As someone who was there in real time as it was all happening, Pence should be on a mission to stop this kind of thing from ever happening again.

[yardwork]

12. That just makes me want to barf.

[intrepidity]

14. Ever since the Colorado ruling

I'm wondering if this sort of statement can even be made anymore:

Then, sitting across the table from his son, a Marine, while on vacation in Colorado, his son said to him, "Dad, you took the same oath I took" -- it was "an oath to support and defend the Constitution," Pence recalled to Smith's investigators, sources said.

[Raven123]

19. This is why Pence should never be elected to a leadership role

He cannot make a decision on his own. If as V.P. he didn’t understand his oath he was incompetent. Clearly he has to be told what to do. Goodness.

[Kali]

21. a lot of these "christians" are like that

they need to be told what to believe, think, do. religion fills a need for these weak fools.

[jaxexpat]

27. "....he has to be told what to do." Not a problem. That's what he married "mother" for.

In 2016 there were two candidates from whom Progressives needed not feel threatened, Trump and Pence. One was as unlikely as the other to ever be elected to any position of consequence. Both held their own personal visions and interests above those of their constituents. Neither could do one good thing for the people of the United States because they were too far consumed their own delusions. One saw himself a faithful prophet of God's will on Earth. The other saw all things as his to have or destroy as he saw fit. Both brought out the worst from the weak persons who clung to them.

Pence is as guilty as Trump for all the social destruction thus far as well as that lingering on the horizon. "His friend" indeed! It's nauseating to hear it said or even to see it written.

As for the mealy-mouth retired judge Luttig, the one with the 'renowned conservative credentials'*, where has his wisdom been hiding for the last 7 years? Years when the obvious plot was plainly playing out before all our eyes. Too busy posing for his portrait?

*terms used when accuracy is inappropriate for mixed company

[Raven123]

29. I agree with you.

Yes, Pence acted correctly on January 6th, but clearly he struggled to get there. The fact that he struggled says it all.

[bahboo]

30. Excellent post...

[Deminpenn]

41. Pence's son knew right from wrong

nt

[leftyladyfrommo]

5. This makes me like Pence a little more.

He raised a good son.

[PJMcK]

7. There's no way to know

Perhaps it was the Marine Corps that taught the son patriotism.

Having watched Pence even before 2016, this seems more plausible to me. Pence is a spineless toady. Remember, Pence was going to accede to Trump’s plan until his son’s comment.

[riversedge]

8. Now that is a great way to look at his issue.

[Captain Zero]

24. And he called Dan Quayle too,

Who I think played a role in getting Judge Luttig weighing in on it all. Don't forget mother either. She really hates Trump. So between them ALL Jan 6 was not a successful fascist coup for Trump.

[leftyladyfrommo]

26. Quail and Pence. There's a pair to draw to. nt

[NoMoreRepugs]

6. Are all Republicans born spineless???

[chicoescuela]

9. SOB should have gone public immediately. What an asshole.

[C Moon]

31. He probably thought he had a shot at being President.

and didn't want to stir things up (in other words: spineless and selfish).

[ificandream]

10. I give Pence credit for not following Trump's plans on Jan. 6, but not much else.

He still showed how much of a slime he was after January 6 by not talking more boldly about it. History will credit him for what he did but also what he didn't have -- more honesty.

[JohnnyRingo]

11. If this is a sample of the testimony against TFG, he's screwed.

He knew damn well he lost fair & square but tries to overthrow the US government.
And this is just the part of the iceberg above the waterline.

Jack Smith has done his homework and March will be when he begins constructing the guillotine.

[img][/img]

[Laura PourMeADrink]

16. Playing devil's advocate, won't he just say he listened

To these people who said it was stolen? Isn't it a subjective thing? Who you chose to believe? Especially since it was through the lens of only a couple months after the election and not now.

Hate him with every ounce of my being. But just don't want to get my hopes up

[JohnnyRingo]

33. If you came up with that defense....

...then most certainly his team has too.
Anything seems plausible to a jury if it's presented in the right way.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

36. Its what i dont get about pursuing the 1-6 conviction

Unless they secretly have a direct connection on Dingbat instructing them to storm the Cap. Assume there isn't one ( like a recording) or PBs and OKs would have presented it.

Just hope Jack Smith isn't all about knowing he's guilty as sin, like we all do, and not more about direct evidence

[FakeNoose]

37. There are supposedly 100s of text messages from Mark Meadows

...that circulated on and before January 6th. Anyone who received or passed a text from Meadows would have assumed it came straight from Chump. And the testimony from Cassidy Hutchinson about the amount of time Meadows spent in conference with Chump throughout that day.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

39. Hear ya! Just not enough "knock your socks off" hard evidence

For a court of law. Hope I am wrong!

[northoftheborder]

13. This news really made me queasy

Pence: could have been the weak link into total breakdown of the government

[Ohioboy]

18. Apparently he was the weak link until his son talked to him

His son should get a medal.

[Paladin]

42. Give Pence a medal, as well.

A medal that's inscribed "Chickenshit Motherfucker."

[republianmushroom]

20. And all of them are as free as anybody else. No convictions or jail time. Strange isn't it.

[democrank]

22. In our attempt to take down cult leader Trump

I suppose any assistance Pence can give will be appreciated. Still, there’s something about Pence that makes me want to vomit. He rode on the Trump cult car way too long.

[LudwigPastorius]

23. Trump..."almost pushed the country toward a 'constitutional crisis' ".

Yeah, almost...nothing much..

Just a lil' ole insurrection attempt.

[orangecrush]

32. "almost"

[riversedge]

25. @JoyceWhiteVance: " So much for the view that Pence was a principled man who did the right thing on January 6."

I agree with Joyce. Also--Pence should have raised the alarm. And Chuck Grassley--for one, knew about this also.

Maybe--just maybe Jan 6th could have been avoided!



So much for the view that Pence was a principled man who did the right thing on January 6.
Quote
Jonathan Karl
@jo

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[SleeplessinSoCal]

34. Hearing about his son in the Marines having been his conscience,

...and not Dan Quayle, as we had previously been told...



https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2023/11/mike-pence-donald-trump-2020-election-certification

[BlueNIndiana]

35. Unless Pence comes out and say he will not vote for Trump in 2024 under any circumstances, screw him!

[elias7]

38. I want to know why he didn't get into the car with the SS