Former US Vice President Mike Pence testified for over seven hours on April 27, 2023, before a federal grand jury in Washington, DC, as part of a criminal investigation into Donald Trump’s alleged efforts to overturn his 2020 election loss, sources told CBS News. His testimony, a key milestone in the probe led by Special Counsel Jack Smith, followed a failed attempt by Trump’s legal team to block it.
Pence, 63, was subpoenaed earlier in 2023 to testify under oath. His lawyers argued his role as Senate president granted him congressional immunity, but an appeals court rejected this. The closed-door session likely focused on Pence’s interactions with Trump before the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot, when Trump supporters, chanting “Hang Mike Pence,” stormed Congress to stop Biden’s certification, per BBC.
Pence told CBS, “We’ll obey the law and tell the truth.” In his memoir So Help Me God, he wrote that Trump pressured him to block the election certification, saying, “You’ll go down as a wimp.” Pence refused, later stating, “Trump was wrong. I had no right to overturn the election.”
Led by Jack Smith, appointed by Attorney General Merrick Garland, the investigation examines whether Trump and allies broke federal laws to challenge Biden’s 2020 win. It also probes the Capitol riot. Pence, as Senate president, could have delayed the certification but stood firm, accusing Trump of endangering his family, per Reuters.
Pence’s testimony is crucial, offering firsthand insight into Trump’s actions. With Pence eyeing a 2024 presidential run against Trump, who commented, “I have confidence in him,” the probe could impact their political futures. The investigation is also tied to other Trump legal issues, like classified documents and Georgia election interference, per NBC News.
