The committee investigating the January 6th attack on the Capitol held its third hearing Thursday focused on former President Donald Trump’s pressure campaign to get former Vice President Mike Pence to reject the outcome of the election during the electoral certification. A pressure campaign that ultimately led to death threats.
Trump says: “Mike Pence, I hope you’re going to stand up for the good of our constitution and the good of our country. And if you don’t, I’m going to be very disappointed in you,”
That plan to overturn the election was largely created by attorney John Eastman. It included using alternative electors which the committee says did not exist, illegally sending electors back to states for review, and rejecting electors. A former staff member for Pence said the then Vice President made it clear he would not participate in the plan.
Jacob says: “First the Vice President clearly doesn’t have the authority to decide anything. And by the way also does not have authority to conduct an investigation by sending things back out.”
Former Vice President Pence did not try to obstruct the election certification, and said soon after leaving office that President Trump was wrong.
Pence says: “I had no right to overturn the election. The presidency belongs to the American people and the American people alone. There is no idea more un-American that any one person can choose the American president”
Committee Chairman Bennie Thompson says he wants to interview Virginia Thomas, the wife of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, about emails between her and Eastman. Straight from DC, I’m Ray Bogan.