Federal judge rules Mike Pence must TESTIFY in probe of Trump’s 2020 election overturn effort 

Former Vice President Mike Pence must testify in special counsel Jack Smith’s investigation into the effort to overturn former President Donald Trump’s 2020 election, a federal judge ruled Tuesday.

Federal Judge James E. Boasberg, Chief Judge of the US District Court for the District of Columbia, issued his sealed judgment in Washington on Tuesday.

Pence had fought a subpoena seeking testimony. His lawyers invoked the ‘Speech or Debate’ clause of the Constitution, pointing to his ceremonial role as Vice President of the Senate.

The judge, who recently succeeded Justice Beryl Howell as the court’s chief judge, did include some limitations in the ruling, nbc news reported, allowing Pence limited protections due to his legislative role. (Lawmakers also often invoke it for protections related to their duties and official statements.)

Those limitations would not apply to the alleged ‘illegality’ of the former president.

Pence can decline to answer questions related to his actions on January 6. CNN reported.

Trump publicly and privately demanded that Pence refuse to accept state-certified ballots when Congress met to count electoral votes on January 6, 2021.

Pence is set to campaign in Iowa on Wednesday as he prepares for a possible White House run. Trump, who announced a campaign to return to the White House, wrote that Pence lacked “courage” on January 6.

Pence criticized his boss at a fancy dinner in DC last month.

“His reckless words endangered my family and everyone on Capitol Hill that day, and I know history will hold Donald Trump to account,” Pence said at the annual Gridiron dinner in Washington.

Pence could choose to appeal the ruling.

Several defendants who played a role on January 6 have been convicted on charges of “seditious conspiracy,” and hundreds have been charged with crimes related to the attack on the Capitol, which came as Congress met to count the crimes. electoral votes.

Pence is set to campaign in Iowa on Wednesday

Pence’s lawyers had resisted the subpoena, citing the Constitution’s “speech or debate” clause.

Trump said Pence lacked “courage” when he did not give in to Trump’s demand that he refuse to accept state-certified ballots.

The development came Monday as Trump has faced legal setbacks on several fronts.

Chief Judge James E. ‘Jeb’ Boasberg issued the ruling Tuesday

A separate grand jury in Manhattan is reportedly set to convene again Wednesday in an investigation related to “hush” payments refunded by Trump that went to porn star Stormy Daniels, who claims she had an affair with him in 2006. Trump denies the affair and furiously attacked Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg in online posts and at a rally with supporters over the weekend in Waco, Texas.

On Friday, it was revealed that Judge Howell ruled against Trump’s claim of executive privilege, ruling that former White House chief of staff Meadows and other former advisers must testify before the grand jury in a sealed order.

Pence wrote in his own memoirs about some of the events leading up to January 6.

He wrote that Trump told him in a phone call on January 1, 2021, that “you are too honest” and that “hundreds of thousands are going to hate you.”

‘Mister. President, I do not dispute that there were irregularities and fraud,” Pence wrote as he told Trump. “It’s just a question of who decides, and under the law that’s Congress.”

Special counsel Jack Smith has obtained a number of favorable rulings during his investigation

Pence refused to testify before the House Select Committee on January 6, although some of his key advisers submitted to questioning. In its hearings, the committee repeatedly referred to members of a crowd chanting “Hang Mike Pence!” and featured footage of scaffolding built near the Capitol that day.

Members praised him for refusing to leave the Capitol that day, even when he came within feet of an angry mob.