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Former US vice president Mike Pence announced Wednesday he will challenge the subpoena by the special counsel overseeing the Trump investigation – seeking to go to the Supreme Court if necessary.
Special counsel Jack Smith, appointed by the Department of Justice, is investigating the efforts of former US president Donald Trump and his allies to overturn the results of the 2020 election. Pence was at the US Capitol to ratify the victory of Joe Biden when Trump supporters attacked the building on January 6, 2021.
Smith tried to force Pence’s testimony in front of the jury.
“Let me be clear: I will fight the Biden DOJ subpoena so I can appear before a grand jury because I believe it is unconstitutional and unprecedented,” Pence told reporters in Iowa, the state that will hold its first nominating contest. from the Republican primary.
“Never before in American history has a vice president been summoned to appear in court to testify against the president with whom he served,” he said.
Pence said he was prepared to take the case “as far as it should go, if necessary to the Supreme Court of the United States.”
“I have nothing to hide,” Pence said
The Associated Press previously reported that Pence, who has been laying the groundwork for a presidential run in 2024, was prepared to contest the request for his appearance on constitutional grounds.
Aiddes argued that because he served as Senate president on Jan. 6, he was protected under the Constitution’s “speech or debate” clause from being forced to testify. These provisions are intended to protect members of Congress from questions about official legislative action.
A spokeswoman for Smith declined to comment.
The US Department of Justice, which previously declined to comment on Pence’s subpoena, is expected to oppose the former vice president’s efforts and make sure that cooperation is essential.
Pence noted during an earlier stop in Minneapolis that he has written and spoken about Trump’s efforts to force him to overturn the election results — which he does not have the power to do — and repeatedly denounced Trump’s efforts as “reckless” and “dangerous.”
“I have nothing to hide and I am proud of what we have done. But for me, this is the moment where you have to decide where you stand, and I stand on the Constitution of the United States,” he said.
Pence noted that he expected Trump to try to assert executive privilege to block his own testimony. “This is not my fight. My fight is separation of powers,” he said.
Pence made the comments after headlining events in Minneapolis and Cedar Rapids, Iowa, aimed at rallying conservative parents who oppose transgender-affirming policies in public schools. The event is a federal appeals court hearing oral arguments in St.
Although Pence has said he has not made a decision on whether to run in 2024, he has visited Iowa several times since the 2020 election. And his Wednesday event appeared to be a campaign stop, held at a pizza shop where candidates often hold court with voters.
Pence is hoping to draw support from social and religious conservatives in what could be a crowded primary contest that already includes Trump and former UN ambassador Nikki Haley, who officially launched his campaign Wednesday.
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