Former Vice President Mike Pence today joined the chorus of Republicans complaining about the anticipated prosecution of Donald Trump by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg.
Pence, who called out Trump last week for having “endangered my family” with his incitement of the January 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol, reversed field in an interview on SiriusXM’s Breitbart News program, Rolling Stone reported today. Pence spoke just hours after Trump “announced in a caps lock rant that he anticipates getting arrested next week,” the report said.
“Like many Americans, I’m just, I’m taken aback,” Pence said, according to Rolling Stone. “You have a major crime wave in New York, especially in New York City. You have literally a Democratic party that’s literally dismantled the criminal justice system in that city, undercut the NYPD, and this is what the Manhattan DA says is their top priority,” referring to Bragg.”
And Pence wasn’t finished patronizing Trump.
“Pence continued, “It reeks of the kind of political prosecution that we endured back in the days of the Russia hoax and the whole impeachment over a phone call. And the one thing I know is, I know that former President Trump can take care of himself … But I have the same reaction everybody else does to this, these reports.”
Pence’s tone on conservative radio was decidedly different from the one he took last Saturday at the no-cameras-allowed Gridiron Dinner in Washington, D.C. After telling some jokes, Pence “then took a serious tone, noting the attack on the Capitol was “one thing I haven’t joked about” and calling January 6 “a tragic day,” CNN reported.
Pence rebuked Trump for his role in the January 6, 2021, attack, saying he was “wrong” for claiming Pence had the authority to overturn the results of the 2020 election in his role presiding over Congress that day, saying “history will hold Donald Trump accountable.”
“President Trump was wrong. I had no right to overturn the election and his reckless words endangered my family and everyone at the Capitol that day, and I know that history will hold Donald Trump accountable,” Pence said.
Bragg is investigating alleged "hush money" payments to adult film star Daniels shortly before the 2016 election. Trump's former "fixer" Michael Cohen has testified that he followed orders from his boss to pay Daniels $130,000 to not talk to reporters about her relationship with Trump. Cohen claims he was later reimbursed by Trump.
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