Judge orders Pence testimony in Trump investigation
The former US Vice President is to testify about Trump.
(Photo: AP)
Washington ex-president donald trump According to media reports, he failed in an attempt to prevent his then deputy Mike Pence from making a statement during investigations into the riots of January 6, 2021 in Washington. A judge ordered that Pence could be questioned about at least some interactions with Trump, the New York Times and the TV channel CNN reported on Tuesday.
On January 6, 2021 Trump supporters stormed the Houses of Parliament in Washingtonwhile there his challenger’s victory Joe Biden should be officially sealed in the presidential election. Trump had heated up the crowd with renewed false allegations of voter fraud. Pence, as Vice President, chaired the Capitol session that was interrupted by the attack.
Pence himself wrote in his memoirs that Trump and his lawyer had tried to convince him in the days before to refuse to confirm Biden’s election victory at the meeting. Pence therefore rejected this.
However, he refuses to testify in the investigation, on the grounds that it would set a bad precedent for the office of vice president, whose activities as head of the Senate are protected. Trump’s lawyers, in turn, referred to the so-called executive privilege, which shields the president’s actions.
According to media reports, the judge in Washington rejected the Trump side’s arguments. In Pence’s case, he decided that the vice president could be questioned about Trump’s potential violations of the law. It was initially unclear whether Pence would take action against the decision or accept it.
The January 6 attack investigation is among the many legal issues facing Trump, who plans to return to the White House in 2024.
