In a significant development, former Vice President Mike Pence has testified before the grand jury investigating former President Donald Trump's attempts to overturn the 2020 election. His testimony is considered a major milestone in the two-year investigation led by special counsel Jack Smith.
The MSNBC dissected Pence's "mild-mannered, soft-spoken, moderate-sounding family man" image as he took center stage in this critical case. The probe aims to gather evidence on whether Trump and his allies broke federal law during their efforts to challenge the results of the election won by President Joe Biden.
As a key witness, prosecutors likely questioned Pence about his interactions with Trump leading up to the US Capitol riot on January 6th, 2021. Despite initially trying to block his former vice president from testifying under oath, Trump expressed confidence in Pence's testimony during a New Hampshire campaign stop: "He had no right to overturn the election."
Pence hinted at what his testimony would entail during a CBS News interview last week and suggested it would be similar to what he recounted in his 2022 book on the matter.
This comes as Trump faces nearly three dozen felony charges relating to hush-money payments allegedly overseen during his 2016 campaign. With that backdrop, many believe that Pence’s account of events leading up to and following January 6th could pose considerable legal threats for both parties involved.
Legal expert James Horowitz commented on these developments: “Mike Pence’s sworn testimony will likely be foundational for this broader investigation into potential criminal activity surrounding attempts made by some individuals close with or connected directly with then-President Donald Trump.”
Despite expressing confidence while discussing Congress chanting “Hang Mike Pence!” at recent rallies, there are concerns among political observers over how much damage this grand jury appearance might do for both men moving forward.
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Lastly, Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas faced scrutiny after deciding to keep his wife secret while allowing her to live rent-free on a property he purchased at an allegedly generous price.