In this image from video released by the House Select Committee, Vice President Mike Pence looks at a phone from his safe evacuation location on January 6 displayed as the House selection committee The Institute investigating the January 6 attack on the United States Capitol holds a hearing on Thursday, June 16, 2022, on Capitol Hill in Washington.
House Selection Committee | AP
Former Vice President Mike Pence was issued a subpoena by special advisor criminal surveillance investigation of the former president Donald Trumpone of which focuses on Trump’s attempt to overturn the 2020 election results electionNBC News confirmed on Thursday night.
Pence, who served under Trump, was pressured by him to refuse to accept his certifications Electoral College rankings of some states given to the President Joe Biden his winning margin in the 2020 race.
Pence disagreed with Trump’s request when he presided over a joint session of Congress confirming Biden’s victory.
That joint session, on January 6, 2021, was interrupted for hours by a mob of Trump supporters who stormed the U.S. Capitol, prompting Pence and members of Congress to flee to evade invaders. Trump refused to act for hours on his request to publicly urge his supporters to leave the Capitol.
ABC news first reported that special counsel Jack Smith had summoned Pence. ABC also reported that the subpoena was issued after months of negotiations between federal prosecutors and Pence’s legal team.
It’s not clear whether Smith is seeking Pence’s testimony, documents, or both.
Spokespersons for both Pence and Smith declined to comment on the subpoenas.
Smith had previously issued a subpoena requesting documents from Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, whom Trump pressured in early 2021 to “find” him enough votes in that state to remedy the situation. his vote shortfall against Biden there.
Smith is also investigating Trump for deleting White House documents, many of which were classified, and forwarding them to his Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Florida, where he live since leaving office.
Smith was appointed special counsel by Attorney General Merrick Garland after Trump announced his 2024 Republican candidacy.
