Where is Mike Pence? Why hasn’t he reacted to the information from the January 6 committee hearings?
While many political leaders have made their position on the House investigation into the events of January 6 public, Mike Pence has not.
“I hope Mike Pence comes through for us,” said Former-President Donald Trump during a rally on January 4th, 2021, just two days before rioters stormed the US Capitol to disrupt the electoral count which Vice President Pence was presiding over.
Last week the Select House Committee on January 6th, heard testimony from many people close to Vice President Pence, including Mr. Greg Jacob, who provided legal council to Pence during his time in office and J. Michael Luttig, a retired judge for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit and informal advisor to Pence.
Those who spoke during the hearing and other officials who were interviewed by the committee detailed the efforts Mike Pence took to ensure that the peaceful transition of power was protected. However, since the events on January 6th, the former vice president has said very little publically about what he believes happened on that fateful day.
On Friday 17 June, President Trump addressed a crowd of supports at the Faith and Freedom Conference in Nashville about the testimony heard during the public hearings. He denied ever calling Pence a “whip” for denying the his request for him to refuse to certify the results.
Trump also said that Mike Pence lost a chance “to be great,” becaue he “not have the courage to act.”
These comments directly contradict those made by Pence earlier this year.
In February, while speaking at an event hosted by the Federalist Society, Pence affirmed his view that he had no power to overturn the election and that there is “no idea more un-American than the notion that any one person could choose the American president.” In his speech, he acknowledged that the comments made by President Trump that he has the “right to “overturn the election”” were “wrong.”
Since these comments, Pence has not spoken publicly about the work of the Select Committee, the investigation, or the hearings. Now, many are asking why.
Will Mike Pence be called to testify?
In an interview Sunday with CNN’s Dana Bash, Congressman Adam Schiff was asked if the Select Committee may call Mike Pence to testify. Schiff, a committee member, said that it was a possibility and that they are not “excluding anyone or anything at this point.”
Lawyers representing Mike Pence have spoken informally with Committee leaders. Still, it remains unclear whether or not the former Vice President will be formally interviewed or asked to appear at one of the hearings. While Pence has not openly dismissed investigations as a “witch hunt” like other members of the GOP, he has not openly supported the committee’s work either.
Pence looked into his options
Additionally, while many of those close to Pence who testified spoke about his courage and bravery, earlier reports do not paint as clear a picture.
John Nichols, writing for The Nation, has called attention to Bob Woodard and Robert Costa’s book Peril, which includes details of an alleged conversation between Pence and Dan Quayle, who served as VP under George H.W. Bush. Pence called Quayle to discuss what President Trump was asking of him and whether he had any options.
“Mike, you have no flexibility on this. None. Zero. Forget it. Put it away,” responded Quayle.
When Pence kept pressing the topic, Quayle told him plainly, “I do know the position you’re in. I also know what the law is. You listen to the parliamentarian. That’s all you do. You have no power.”
From the testimony it is clear that Pence knew there was no legal basis for what the President was asking, but this did not mean he did not try and find a justification.
Is Mike Pence going to run for president in 2024?
Some political analysts believe that Pence’s silence on events of January 6th and the work of the committee could be due to possible intentions to run for president in 2024. The base of the Republican Party favors Trump and may not look too kindly on a candidate who failed to ensure Trump remained in power. By not speaking out, Pence avoids futrther angering these voters and, as best as possible, reduces the risk of a direct confrontation with Donald Trump.