Schiff ‘Encouraged to Hear’ Pence Might Testify for Jan. 6 Committee

• Rep. Adam Schiff mentioned he was “inspired” that Mike Pence is contemplating testifying earlier than the January 6 Committee.
• Pence mentioned final week that he would think about testifying “if there was an invite to take part.”
• Schiff mentioned Pence could have “plenty of very firsthand data” to share about efforts to overturn the election.

Democratic Rep. Adam Schiff of California mentioned he was “inspired” that former Vice President Mike Pence is contemplating testifying earlier than the January 6 Committee. 

Pence mentioned final week that he would think about testifying “if there was an invite to take part,” Insider beforehand reported. 

“I used to be inspired to listen to it, and I hope it meant what it sounded prefer it meant,” Schiff instructed CNN’s Jake Tapper on Sunday. “We’ve got been in dialogue with the vp’s counsel for a while, so he is aware of of our curiosity in having him come earlier than us.”

Schiff added he’s assured the committee might “work out any govt privilege or separation of powers points” with the previous vp.

—CNN (@CNN) August 21, 2022

Within the months earlier than the Capitol riot, Pence refused former President Donald Trump’s calls for to overturn the 2020 election outcomes. Earlier testimonies earlier than the committee detailed threats made in opposition to the previous vp’s life throughout the riot.

Cassidy Hutchinson, an aide to former chief of workers Mark Meadows, testified that Trump defended the Capitol rioters for chanting “cling Mike Pence” as a result of “Mike deserves it.”

“There may be, after all, nothing precluding the vp, ought to he resolve to, to come back earlier than Congress,” Schiff mentioned. “And I might hope, given the severity of the problems we’re addressing right here, an assault on our Capitol, an assault on our very democracy, that he can be prepared to come back in.”

He added: “He might plainly share plenty of very firsthand details about what it was prefer to be the topic of these efforts to get him to violate his constitutional obligation and arrogate to himself the facility to resolve who received or who misplaced an American presidential election.”