Pence on Jan. 6: ‘Crackpot lawyers’ told Trump ‘what his itching ears wanted to hear’

[Social Media]

 

Former Vice President Mike Pence on Wednesday following an indictment of Donald Trump reiterated that he had no right to overturn the 2020 election results, saying a group of “crackpot lawyers” had told the former president otherwise.

Speaking publicly for the first time since Trump was indicted for his efforts to remain in power after losing the 2020 election, which culminated in the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol, Pence told reporters at the Indiana State Fair that he had hoped it wouldn’t come to an indictment in the matter.

 

But Pence reiterated what he has said for months — that he had no right as vice president to overturn the election as Trump and some of his allies claimed.

“For my part, I want people to know that I had no right to overturn the election and that what the president maintained that day, and frankly has said over and over again over the last two and a half years, is completely false,” Pence said. “And it’s contrary to what our Constitution and the laws of this country provide.”

“You know, I’m a student of American history. And the first time I heard in early December somebody suggest that as vice president I might be able to decide which votes to reject and which to accept, I knew that it was false … I dismissed it out of hand,” Pence added. “Sadly, the president was surrounded by a group of crackpot lawyers that kept telling him what his itching ears wanted to hear.”

 

FULL STORY

 

[sirineou]

Did they also tell him to do all the other things  he was indicted for?

[Tug]

Well yup they sure did and the imbecile took them up on it and with out regard for the country turned that into a bilko  grift to defraud his supporters 

[Berkshire]

Of course, Pence is right.  He was courageous to defend the Constitution against his own boss.  Yet, most in his own party despises him.  Fact is, there is no room in the Republican party for honest people. 

[Misty]

On 8/3/2023 at 9:12 AM, Social Media said:

“Sadly, the president was surrounded by a group of crackpot lawyers that kept telling him what his itching ears wanted to hear.”

It sounds a little bit like Pence is trying to let TFG off the hook, as in, "he was just listening to legal counsel."  (Flawed though it may have been.)

 

Happily, the former president also was also surrounded by many more lawyers, advisors, attorney general, DOJ, and the many many court cases, all of which repeatedly told Trump: 1) he lost the election, and 2) the VP could not overturn the result.  Sadly, Trump ignored them and chose to listen to the "gaggle of crackpot lawyers" only. 

[bamnutsak]

"Well my lawyer, Rudy G., said I could shoot that guy on Fifth Avenue, so yeah, I was following legal advice from my lawyer."

 

 

Advice of Legal Counsel may be a defense, unless said counsel was advising that their client commit crimes.

 

 

 

 

Edited August 4, 2023 by bamnutsak

[Dcheech]

21 minutes ago, Berkshire said:

Of course, Pence is right.  He was courageous to defend the Constitution against his own boss.  Yet, most in his own party despises him.  Fact is, there is no room in the Republican party for honest people. 

If you have ever watched Pence give a speech, or answer questions, he is a serial deflector. He is only answering now because he has to. In any other situation he would give any answer imaginable, except an answer to the question asked.  A remarkable spinner of outrageous steer excrement. He is what the better half of the Republican party in the US has become, the other half are far worse. 

 

 

Edited August 4, 2023 by Dcheech

[jerrymahoney]

Pence also said in the NY Times version of that Indiana State Fair interview:

 

“I don’t know if the government can meet the standard, the burden of proof beyond  reasonable doubt for criminal charges,” he said.

[placeholder]

7 minutes ago, jerrymahoney said:

Pence also said in the NY Times version of that Indiana State Fair interview:

 

“I don’t know if the government can meet the standard, the burden of proof beyond  reasonable doubt for criminal charges,” he said.

I'm not saying he's wrong but why should we care about Pence's opinion?

[jerrymahoney]

7 minutes ago, placeholder said:

I'm not saying he's wrong but why should we care about Pence's opinion?

Pence may be witness #1 against the current 4 charges.

 

If you read some of the comments on here, it is like they are deciding what brand ketchup Trump should be served in prison.

 

Anyone who thinks these criminal charges are slam-dunk material, should care what Pence has said above.

Edited August 4, 2023 by jerrymahoney

[Berkshire]

1 hour ago, Dcheech said:

If you have ever watched Pence give a speech, or answer questions, he is a serial deflector. He is only answering now because he has to. In any other situation he would give any answer imaginable, except an answer to the question asked.  A remarkable spinner of outrageous steer excrement. He is what the better half of the Republican party in the US has become, the other half are far worse. 

 

 

You're not wrong.  I'm not a big fan of Pence.  I doubt I agree with much of his policy positions.  But on this one issue, the dude was a big part of why Trump's treason failed.  Yes, there were other Republicans who stood strong against Trump and his goons.  But Pence was the last line of defense against an onslaught and he did his duty. 

[placeholder]

40 minutes ago, jerrymahoney said:

Pence may be witness #1 against the current 4 charges.

 

If you read some of the comments on here, it is like they are deciding what brand ketchup Trump should be served in prison.

 

Anyone who thinks these criminal charges are slam-dunk material, should care what Pence has said above.

What Pence says may be valid. It's just that Pence is not a recognized authority on legal matters.  I don't think he's going to have the opportunity to offer his opinion of the validity of the case on the witness stand. The prosecution would surely object to that and I don't see how a judge wouldn't support that objection.

[jerrymahoney]

25 minutes ago, placeholder said:

What Pence says may be valid. It's just that Pence is not a recognized authority on legal matters.  I don't think he's going to have the opportunity to offer his opinion of the validity of the case on the witness stand. The prosecution would surely object to that and I don't see how a judge wouldn't support that objection.

No. In Court he would just offer his testimony under direct and cross examination.

 

His statement is that, even with such testimony as he might offer, as an attorney, there is no certainty that the government can obtain a conviction against Trump on the current charges.

 

Edited August 4, 2023 by jerrymahoney

[placeholder]

33 minutes ago, jerrymahoney said:

No. In Court he would just offer his testimony under direct and cross examination.

 

His statement is that, even with such testimony as he might offer, as an attorney, there is no certainty that the government can obtain a conviction against Trump on the current charges.

 

What's special about his comment? Anyone, attorney or not who claims otherwise is obviously incorrect.

[jerrymahoney]

12 minutes ago, placeholder said:

What's special about his comment? Anyone, attorney or not who claims otherwise is obviously incorrect.

Because he is the same Mike Pence as the Mike Pence in the OP.

 

And the NY Times headline for the article on the same Indiana State Fair interview is:

 

Pence Says Trump Pushed Him ‘Essentially to Overturn the Election’
The remarks are some of the former vice president’s most pointed about what happened in the lead up to Jan. 6, 2021.

Edited August 4, 2023 by jerrymahoney

[bamnutsak]

"Crackpot".

 

How 19th century.

 

On the plus side, trump only hires the best crackpot lawyers.

 

Of course Pence went to Dan Quayle for a legal opinion on certifying the Electors.

 

 

 

 

[jerrymahoney]

39 minutes ago, bamnutsak said:

Of course Pence went to Dan Quayle for a legal opinion on certifying the Electors.

Maybe Dan Quayle was the only former Vice-President Pence knew.