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U.S. NEWS Wednesday 29 March 2023
AP sources: Judge rules Pence must testify before grand jury

By JILL COLVIN and tions about how Trump’s
ERIC TUCKER legal team might respond.
Associated Press Pence’s team is evaluating
WASHINGTON (AP) — A whether it will appeal.
federal judge has ruled The sealed ruling from U.S.
that former Vice President District Judge James “Jeb”
Mike Pence will have to Boasberg sets up the un-
testify before a grand jury precedented scenario of a
in the Justice Department’s former vice president being
investigation into efforts by compelled to give poten-
former President Donald tially damaging testimony
Trump and his allies to over- against the president he
turn the results of the 2020 once served. And it comes
election. as Pence has been inch-
That’s according to two ing closer to announcing a
people familiar with the run for the 2024 Republican
decision, who spoke Tues- presidential nomination —
day on condition of ano- a decision that would put
nymity because it remains him in direct competition
under seal. with his former boss. Former Vice President Mike Pence speaks to reporters before the MockCon event at University
The people said, however, Pence was subpoenaed Chapel at Washington and Lee University, March 21, 2023, in Lexington, Va.
that Pence would not have earlier this year to appear Associated Press
to answer questions about before the grand jury in monial role overseeing the the results despite Trump’s everyone else who was
his actions on Jan. 6, 2021, Washington investigating counting of the Electoral contention otherwise. at the Capitol that day
when a mob of Trump’s election interference. In College vote, but did not Pence has said that Trump and history will hold him
supporters stormed the public appearances, he have the power to impact endangered his family and “accountable.”q
Capitol building as Pence has cast the that action as
was presiding over a joint unconstitutional and un-
session of Congress to cer- precedented and said he
tify Democrat Joe Biden’s would pursue the matter as
victory. But he would have far as the Supreme Court.
to testify about any poten- Still, he told ABC’s “This
tial illegal acts committed Week” that he might be
by the former president, open to testifying about
one of the people said. matters not directly related
Pence and his attorneys to his congressional role.
had cited constitutional “I’ve actually never assert-
grounds in challenging ed that other matters un-
the grand jury’s subpoe- related to January 6 would
na. They argued that, be- otherwise be protected by
cause he was serving in speech and debate,” he
his capacity as president told the network. “We’re
of the Senate that day, he gonna make that case, but
was protected from being I promise you we’ll respect
forced to testify under the the decisions of the court.”
Constitution’s “speech or A Justice Department spe-
debate” clause, which is cial counsel, Jack Smith,
intended to protect mem- is investigating attempts
bers of Congress from by Trump and his allies
questioning about official to overturn Biden’s win
legislative acts. in the 2020 presidential
Trump’s lawyers had also election to keep Trump in
objected to Pence com- the White House. Multiple
plying, citing executive Trump aides have already
privilege. appeared before the fed-
A Trump spokesman criti- eral grand jury, as well as
cized the decision in a a separate Georgia panel
statement, accusing the examining allegations of
Justice Department of Trump mishandling classi-
“continuously stepping fied documents at his Mar-
far outside the standard a-Lago club in Florida.
norms in attempting to de- A spokesman for the spe-
stroy the long accepted, cial counsel’s office de-
long held, constitutionally clined to comment.
based standards of attor- Pence has spoken exten-
ney-client privilege and ex- sively about Trump’s pres-
ecutive privilege.” sure campaign urging him
“There is no factual or le- to reject Biden’s victory in
gal basis or substance to the days leading up to Jan.
any case against President 6, including in his book, “So
Trump,” they added, but Help Me God.” Pence, as
did not respond to ques- vice president, had a cere-