Jan. 6 committee examines Pence pressure campaign on Day 3 of hearings
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Washington — The House committee investigating the Jan. 6 assault on the Capitol is holding the third in its collection of hearings on Thursday, with lawmakers turning their focus to former President Donald Trump’s campaign to pressure former Vice President Mike Pence to reject electoral votes.
Two Pence aides are set to testify at Thursday’s listening to, scheduled to begin at 1 p.m.: Greg Jacob, Pence’s former counsel, and J. Michael Luttig, a retired federal decide who was advising Pence within the aftermath of the 2020 election. Two individuals accustomed to Luttig’s anticipated testimony, who weren’t approved to debate particulars of the listening to, informed CBS News that he’s anticipated to inform the committee that “America’s democracy was almost stolen from her.” The committee may also present taped footage of an interview with Marc Short, who was Pence’s chief of workers.
Committee aides mentioned the listening to will likely be divided into 4 sections. First, the committee will discover the emergence of the idea by conservative lawyer John Eastman and others that the vice chairman might unilaterally reject electors when Congress met on Jan. 6, 2021. Next, aides mentioned the committee will focus on the rejection of that principle by Pence’s attorneys, a “group of committed public servants who upheld their oath” and gave Pence “sound advice” that he did not have the authority to overturn the outcomes of the election.
Aides mentioned the committee will then discover the pressure campaign on Pence, with Trump each taking part and attempting to rally his supporters to get them to pressure the vice chairman themselves. The committee will argue this straight contributed to the assault on the Capitol, and put Pence’s life at risk.
Last, aides mentioned the committee will argue there’s an ongoing risk to democracy as a result of there are outstanding figures who nonetheless argue the election was rigged, together with Trump himself.
Eastman has emerged as a key determine within the committee’s investigation into the run-up to Jan. 6, with congressional investigators getting access to a trove of emails he despatched and obtained within the weeks main as much as the assault.
The committee has obtained exchanges between Eastman and Ginni Thomas, a conservative activist and spouse of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, two sources informed CBS News on Wednesday. Ginni Thomas’ function within the aftermath of the election got here underneath scrutiny in March after CBS News and The Washington Post reported on textual content messages she despatched to former Trump chief of workers Mark Meadows, urging him to overthrow the election outcomes.
