Pence: Judgment over Trump's actions on Jan 6 should be left up to American people
Former Vice President Mike Pence said Tuesday he hoped the Justice Department (DOJ) would not pursue charges against Donald Trump for his conduct around the Jan. 6 riots after the former president said he was notified he's the target of the agency's investigation into Trump's attempts to remain in power after the 2020 election.
Pence, who testified before the grand jury in that case, told Elizabeth Vargas on NewsNation that Trump's words on Jan. 6 were "reckless," and that the former president continues to be wrong in his assertions about the 2020 election.
"But with regard to the prospect of an indictment, I hope it doesn’t come to that," said Pence, who is running against Trump for the 2024 GOP presidential nomination. "I'm not convinced that the president acting on the bad advice of a group of crank lawyers that came into the White House in the days before Jan. 6 is actually criminal."
"And secondly, the truth is that the Department of Justice has lost the confidence of the American people. And there’s so many Americans that are deeply concerned about unequal treatment under the law," Pence continued.
"I don’t know what the letter today means, the notification means, but my hope is that the judgment about the president’s actions on Jan. 6 would be left to the American people," the former vice president added.
Trump said Tuesday morning on Truth Social that he was alerted he is a target of the Justice Department’s investigation focusing on his efforts to stay in power after losing the 2020 election, which culminated in the riots at the Capitol on Jan. 6.
Receiving a target letter is often a sign someone could soon face charges in a matter where prosecutors have gathered substantial evidence. It’s unclear what specific charges Trump could face if prosecutors decide to move ahead.
Trump pursued a multipronged plan to remain in office, pressuring the DOJ and state officials about claims of election fraud, ultimately rallying his supporters on Jan. 6 and urging them to march to the Capitol before rioters ransacked the complex in an effort to halt the certification process.
Trump had pressured Pence for weeks after the 2020 election to reject the certification of electoral votes declaring Biden the winner, something Pence has repeatedly said he did not have the authority to do.
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