Mike Pence says he ‘cannot defend’ federal indictment of Trump
‘I can’t defend what is being said’: Mike Pence berates Trump over his charge of mishandling classified documents and insists the former president faces a ‘very serious case’ that will play out in court
- Pence attacked the Trump investigation as political
- “I can’t believe politics didn’t play a role here,” he told CNBC
- Pence served as Trump’s vice president and is challenging him for the GOP’s presidential nomination
Mike Pence said Wednesday he cannot defend Donald Trump against allegations about the former president’s handling of classified material, but he called the federal indictment a political ploy.
“I can’t defend what’s being said,” Pence told CNBC’s Squawk Box.
“Number one is that no one is above the law. This indictment contains serious allegations.”
But Pence, who served as vice president under Trump, echoed the former president’s line that the Justice Department’s investigation is a political attack.
“I can’t believe politics didn’t play a role here. We’ve seen the politicization at the Justice Department for years,” he said.
‘I can’t defend what is being alleged,’ Mike Pence told CNBC’s Squawk Box about the federal indictment against Donald Trump
Pence cited the Russian investigation against Trump that concluded no wrongdoing and argued that Hillary Clinton was given a free pass. He also alleged that information about Biden’s son, Hunter Biden, was withheld.
The FBI investigated and chose not to prosecute after an investigation into classified documents found on her personal email servers when Clinton was Secretary of State. Hunter Biden is under a federal investigation into his taxes and his attempt to buy a gun without revealing his past legal troubles.
“If I have the privilege of being president of the United States, we’ll clean up at the top of the Justice Department,” Pence vowed.
Pence challenges Trump for the Republican presidential nomination.
The two men fell out late in Trump’s term when then-President pressured Pence to overturn the election results during Electoral College certification. Pence pointed out that vice presidents only have a ceremonial role and do not have the power to send elections back to the states. Trump supporters chanted “Hang Mike Pence” as they provoked a riot at the Capitol on Jan. 6.
Trump pleaded not guilty on Tuesday to 37 federal counts related to his alleged mishandling of classified documents after he left the White House, including charges that he both violated the espionage law and obstructed justice.
Many of Trump’s rivals for the GOP nomination have attacked the Justice Department’s investigation as political in nature.
“We’ve seen a Justice Department that seems to have a two-tier court system,” Pence said.
The former vice president is trailing in polls. In the RealClearPolitics Poll Average on the GOP nomination, Pence has about 5%. Trump has 52%.
While Trump was in court Tuesday, Pence met with the Wall Street Journal editorial board.
“After reading the indictment,” he said, “these are very serious allegations. And I cannot defend what is being claimed. But the president has a right to his day in court, he has a right to defend himself, and I want to defer judgment until he has a chance to respond.”
“No one is above the law,” he says @Mike_Pence. “I cannot defend what is being said. The mere prospect that highly classified material could even accidentally fall into the wrong hands jeopardizes our national security. The former president is entitled to his day in court.” pic.twitter.com/tHi3cMe1PB
— Squawk Box (@SquawkCNBC) June 14, 2023
In a speech at his Bedminister golf club on Tuesday evening, Donald Trump accused prosecutors of ‘threatening me with 400 years in prison for possessing my own presidential papers’
Federal prosecutors have released an image of files stored in a bathroom in Mar-a-Lago
Pence did say he was being considered over reports that classified military intelligence was among the papers in Trump’s personal possession.
Even the inadvertent release of such information could jeopardize our national security and the safety of our armed forces. And, frankly, with two members of our immediate family serving in the armed forces of the United States, I will never diminish the importance of protecting our nation’s secrets,” Pence said.
Trump claims the data is his personal property. The Presidential Records Act states that all paperwork for a presidential administration belongs to the federal government.
In a speech at his Bedminister golf club on Tuesday evening, the former president denounced prosecutors for “threatening me with 400 years in prison for being in possession of my own presidential papers.”
Pence discovered a few classified documents in his Indiana home after it was revealed that Trump had such material in Mar-a-Lago. He immediately insured them and turned them over to the FBI.
The former vice president was cleared of any wrongdoing by the Justice Department.