Mike Pence.Photo: Joshua Roberts/Getty Images
Former Vice PresidentMike Penceis opening up about the moments that led to theCapitol rioton Jan. 6, 2021, writing in his forthcoming book that then-PresidentDonald Trump’s decision to putRudy GiulianiandSidney Powellin charge of his legal strategy helped sow the seeds to that “tragic day.”
Pence writes that Trump’s campaign lawyers offered “a sober and somewhat pessimistic report on the state of election challenges,” but the “outside cast of characters” — including Giuliani and Powell — “went on the attack.”
“Giuliani told the president over the speakerphone, ‘Your lawyers are not telling you the truth, Mr. President,'” Pence writes. “Even in an office well acquainted with rough-and-tumble debates, it was a new low …. [and] went downhill from there.”
Pence continues: “In the end, that day the president made the fateful decision to put Giuliani and Sidney Powell in charge of the legal strategy … The seeds were being sown for a tragic day in January.”
Sidney Powell and Rudy Giuliani speaking at a news conference on Nov. 19, 2020.MANDEL NGAN/AFP via Getty
Trump’s campaign later distanced itself from Powell. Giuliani, meanwhile, has stayed in the public eye —appearing onThe Masked Singerearlier this yearand publiclyclaiming a grocery store worker slapped him so hard it felt like he had been shot, despite surveillance footage showing otherwise.
Since leaving the White House in the shadow of the January insurrection, Pence has made moves that suggesthe might be planning a run for the presidency. That includes his new book, as well as recent public appearances in which he says he is “thinking about the future.”
Despite Pence not having the ability to overturn the results, the move angered Trump, who took to Twitter to say Pence “didn’t have the courage to do what should have been done to protect our Country and our Constitution.”
Within hours, Trump’s supporters — who had been in Washington, D.C. to see the former president speak at a “Stop the Steal” rally — breached the Capitol building, feeding on the anger and chanted about wanting to “hang” Pence, forcing the vice president and at least some of his entourage to bemoved to an undisclosed location.
Trump later said the chants about hanging Pencewere “common sense"because “the people were very angry.”
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Pence ultimately did affirm the results for Biden that day, once lawmakers were able to reenter the building after the mob was cleared. The former vice presidenthas since calledJan. 6 “a dark day in the history of the United States Capitol.”
Trump, meanwhile, has continued insisting he won the election and criticizing his former running mate for failing to overturn the results.
“Mike and I had a great relationship except for the very important factor that took place at the end,” Trump told theExaminerin his earlier interview. “I haven’t spoken to him in a long time.”
source: people.com
