The House Select Committee investigating the Jan. 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol showed this week how then-President Donald Trump tried to make his vice president go along with Trump’s plan to overturn the presidential election.
Pence’s inner circle gave committee members details about the campaign by Trump and his allies, who falsely insisted Pence had the power to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election during the congressional certification of the Electoral College vote on January 6th.
“Our review of text, history, and frankly, just common sense, all confirmed the vice president’s first instinct on that point. There is no justifiable basis to conclude that the vice president has that kind of authority,” former Pence chief counsel Greg Jacob testified.
Shortly before Pence appeared at the Capitol on Jan. 6 for his ceremonial role, he released a letter saying he would not honor Trump’s wishes, and aides said Trump responded by calling Pence several expletives.