Former Vice President Mike Pence made his strongest denouncement of ex-President Donald Trump on Saturday, accusing him of endangering Pence's family and predicting that Trump would be held “responsible” for the January 6, 2021 insurrection.
A Solid Rebuke
Former Vice President Mike Pence, who is contemplating a bid for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, indicated that he would announce his decision during the summer. Pence harshly criticized ex-President Donald Trump while serving as the Republican keynote speaker at the Gridiron, an organization of journalists that hosts an annual event featuring humor and satire related to both political parties.
Former Vice President Mike Pence admitted that Donald Trump did not have the authority to overturn the election and that Trump's irresponsible rhetoric endangered both his family and the individuals at the Capitol during the January 6, 2021 insurrection. Pence stated that he believed history would hold Trump accountable for his actions.
During his speech, Pence began with a light-hearted tone as he made jokes about himself, President Joe Biden, Democrats, and even former President Donald Trump. Pence shared an anecdote about inviting Trump to a Bible study where the latter expressed his appreciation for the passages that described the “smiting and perishing of thine enemies,” quipping, “ya know Mike, there's some really good stuff in here.”
However, the mood turned serious as Pence discussed the violent insurrection at the US Capitol on January 6, 2021, during a special session of Congress to certify the electoral votes from the presidential election. As vice president, Pence's role was ceremonial, and he was presiding over the session while his family members were in attendance.
Under Pressure
During the session, Trump had pressured Pence to overturn the election by rejecting electoral votes from states that Joe Biden had won. However, Pence refused, infuriating Trump, who criticized Pence at a rally on the Ellipse. This led to Trump supporters storming the Capitol building and chanting, “hang Mike Pence.”
Pence stressed that he had no authority to interfere in the election results, and he made it clear that he believed that Trump's rhetoric was responsible for endangering his family and everyone else who was at the Capitol that day.
Former President Donald Trump and his followers have attempted to minimize the severity of the January 6th insurrection. Last week, Fox News commentator Tucker Carlson came under fire for falsely portraying the events of that day as a peaceful demonstration. While speaking at the Gridiron event, former Vice President Mike Pence did not explicitly name Carlson but contradicted the notion that the insurrection was peaceful.
He asserted that January 6th was a tragic day and debunked the claim that the Capitol was merely visited by peaceful tourists. Pence made it clear that the attack on the Capitol was a disgrace and that it would be indecent to portray it as anything else.
This article was produced and syndicated by Wealth of Geeks.