(Washington) The US Justice Department wants to question Donald Trump’s former Vice President Mike Pence as part of an investigation into the Republican billionaire’s efforts to change the results of the 2020 presidential election, several American media reported on Wednesday.
According to the sources interviewed, Mr. Pence will consider this request for evidence for his part The New York Times and CNN.
Attorney General Merrick Garland appointed a special prosecutor to independently investigate the former president, who announced his 2024 presidential bid last week.
This independent prosecutor is now overseeing two separate investigations that have been ongoing for months by the federal justice system. The first focuses on Donald Trump’s efforts to challenge a 2020 presidential defeat until his supporters storm the Capitol on January 6, 2021, when the victory of his Democratic rival Joe Biden is confirmed.
The second dealt with the former president’s handling of classified documents to be archived after leaving the White House.
However, the special prosecutor is only responsible for issuing a recommendation on whether to indict Donald Trump, and that is up to the attorney general to decide.
US Justice’s request for Mike Pence, who has not yet been formally subpoenaed to appear as a witness, precedes the appointment of an independent prosecutor The New York Times.
The former Republican president publicly pressured Mr. Pence not to certify the results of the election on January 6, 2021.
The actions were condemned as “irresponsible” by Mike Pence, but declined to be heard during House of Representatives hearings on the attack on the Capitol.
A potential 2024 presidential candidate, Mr Pence may consider testifying this time because it is a criminal investigation, The New York Times.
Donald Trump may try to block his former vice president’s testimony by brandishing executive privilege to keep his communications confidential, as he has tried to do with other officials called to testify in federal investigations.
