Followed by other Republicans, Former Vice President Mike Pence slammed former President Donald Trump’s accusations exclusive interview Thursday with CNN’s Wolf Blitzer.
In the interview, which aired live hours after news of Trump’s indictment by a Manhattan grand jury, Pence acknowledged that “no one is above the law,” but insisted the indictment was “a blackout.”
“I really believe that this decision is now damaging the country, and the idea that for the first time in American history, a former president will be charged with campaign finance issues, for me it just smacks of political prosecution, and I think the majority of Americans will see it that way,” Pence said. toward Blitzer.
Asked if he thought there were appropriate circumstances to prosecute the former president criminally, Pence replied: “No one is above the law.”
He added: “Including former presidents, let’s be clear about this. The American people know this. But this case, the campaign finance controversy, I can’t speak to the merits of this case … it certainly will not rise to the level of unprecedented prosecution in history. .
Trump’s indictment there appears to be the center in the investigation of a $130,000 hush money payment to adult film star Stormy Daniels shortly before the 2016 election.
Manhattan Grand Jury investigation into the former president’s involvement in the hush money scheme has been going on for years. Other investigations of the former president include one about his attempt to change the results of the 2020 election and another about his involvement in inciting the mob to attack the US Capitol on January 6, 2021.
When Blitzer asked Pence if he was willing to testify before a federal grand jury about the Capitol riots, the former vice president maintained he had “nothing to hide” but stopped short of saying he would testify.
Pence previously suggested that he would try not to testify in the January 6 probe and the 2020 election results probe. He had blocked a subpoena to appear in front of a federal grand jury for the investigation on January 6, but earlier this week a judge ruled. ordered Pence to comply with the subpoena in the investigation of the 2020 election, and on Wednesday Pence hinted that can drop a legal battle to avoid testifying.