Legendary investigative journalist Carl Bernstein explained on Thursday why growing frustration with Donald Trump among some Republicans could result in defections.
"Developing overnight, sources tell CNN the January 6th committee is interested in speaking to members of Mike Pence's inner circle," CNN's John Berman reported.
For analysis, Berman interviewed the Pulitzer Prize-winning Watergate journalist, who described the development as "very significant."
"First of all, let's look what's happening here," Bernstein said. "We're talking about a conspiracy like none other in the United States, to undermine this election. Led, this conspiracy, by the president of the United States."
"There are some people who work for Mike Pence who indeed are angry about the conspiracy and that Pence was brought into it indirectly," he reported.
"We have a year to go to find out what happened, until the Republicans — in all likelihood — take over the Congress, they're going to try to shut down this investigation," he explained. "The press, particularly, the committee — one year to go to find out what happened in the most grievous assault on democracy since the Confederacy and the Civil War."
"You say there are people inside Pence's inner circle who are angry," Berman said. "Why is that important."
"Because there are people who believe in the Constitution of the United States. Even in the Republican Party there are still people who believe in the Constitution, despite the fact that the party has been taken over by craven Republicans and made the party of Trumpism and authoritarianism, but there are people there, and it is the job of the press, the job of this committee, particularly the press, to find a witness or several witnesses, perhaps among Pence's aides," Bernstein explained.
He said that the sources may not be Pence's principals, but "maybe some aides to the aides."
"If you look at Bob Woodward's and my papers down at the University of Texas, what happened in Watergate was we got to John Dean before he testified," Bernstein said. "We knew he was going to name the president of the United States as the head of the conspiracy in Watergate, and he was going to turn on the president of the United States."
"Our job in the press right now, above all others, is to unravel this conspiracy before the Republican Party — captured by Donald Trump — is able to suppress what happened here," he added.
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