Meanwhile in Nashville Christian conservatives will gather for conference of the Faith and Freedom Coalition, which traditional stop for new presidential candidates, especially candidates who are entrenched in Traffic like Penny. When Pence appeared on groups event last year he was booed and interrupted with calls of “traitor.”
pence decision to skip both highlights his challenge as he positions himself to take on Trump for Republican Party nomination in 2024. Advisors say that former the vice president supports his actions on January 6, but not want to be famous for attack on trump like Rep. Tom Rice (RS.C.), who lost his original on On Tuesday after voting to impeach Trump or Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyoming), who is leading the committee’s most aggressive speeches on 6 January against in former the president.
” way he considers it, he did his duty, he didn’t need talk about it more”- Mark Short, head of Pence. of staff said in Interview with Washington Post. “He is not want re-dispute past. He believes that voters want look forward not backward”.
Short said he did not believe Pence’s actions before and during Jan. 6 would be politically responsible. for Penny in long run though he said they were people who asked Pence over in decision.
“In certain circles there are many of admiration and in certain circles, there is: “Let’s not talk about it, we love you for everything you did but it’s uncomfortable for all of us”Short said. “History has way of sorting out truth and I think more as well as more people appreciate what he did that day. I can’t say exactly when this will happen, but I think over time is good for him.”
But Thursday’s hearing could complicate that position, whether Pence likes it or not.
A committee assistant said on Wednesday that the hearing will be split in four main parts: emergence of the theory that Pence may have unilaterally rejected President Biden’s electors; how the theory was rejected by Pence and his advisers; pressure campaign applicable on Pence at the wheel former the president; as well as how what campaign directly contributed to the rebellion and endangered Pence’s life.
Hearings already highlighted tensions between Trump and Pence as in in prime-time opener last week in which Cheney cited unspecified testimony saying that Trump expressed support for the rioters chant “Hang Mike Pence”, saying they “had the right idea” and that Pence “deserved it”. (Trump denies saying “hang Mike Pence”.)
Pence himself refused to appear before the committee, believing it was useless and not good Forum for him to appear, the advisers said. But he agreed that his assistants, including Short, would speak and blessed their cooperation.
In a January deposition, Short described Pence’s behavior. on January 6 and its interaction with Trump. The committee is likely use video clips from Short’s testimony. hearing on Thursday also feature live testimony from Pence’s attorney, Greg Jacob, who spoke in his testimony about the Oval Office meeting between Pence, Trump and others on January 4, 2021 in which attorney John Eastman laid out the scenarios for rejection of Biden in the presidential election.
Pence didn’t watch for capabilities attack Trump directly, but he defended himself when he took heat from Trump and his allies. Several people who talked to him alone, they said that he had no plans to attack Trump for a little of his more incendiary actions in office and does not see the political lane in being clearly critical of Trump.
“President Trump wrong”, Pence said. in February at a meeting of the Federalist Society in Florida. “I had no right to cancel the election.”
Pence didn’t talk to Trump in more how year and turned down initial invitations to visit him in Mar-a-Lago, advisers said. Trump’s spokesman did not respond to a request. for comment.
Pence told others that he could run against Trump and his allies pushed for en announcement early next year. He took an aggressive journey schedule to the states of early 2024, especially South Carolina and Iowa.
Early Polls of Republican field 2024 stable show Pence is trailing Trump and other potential candidates such as Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. Such surveys are not yet reliable predictors out from the election, but they may indicate that Pence may struggle find a strong base of support.
His argument to the voters is that he supported Trump but did not have power do what trump wanted. He gave this explanation when asked by donors and activists, most recently during his trip to a crisis pregnancy center. in South Carolina last month, according to the person who heard his comments. Pence is not negative about Trump in these private talk, the man said.
“He was asked in several places here and there what he thinks on this and he just said: “The vice president has a solemn role there. I had no constitutional authority to do so,” said Josh Kimbrell, state senator from South Carolina. who organized trips for Pence is there and accompanies him around the state. “We were at eight events together and of eight events we were in, it might come up four times. It wasn’t the dominant theme.”
A little of his advisers note that Trump, after leaving the office, did not slam into Pence as viciously as he did in some others. former advisors such as former advocate general William P. Barr or former defense secretary Mark T. Esper and Trump’s harshest words for Pence came from an official representative, not from former the president himself. Pence often praises the “Trump-Pence agenda”.
“Mike Pence clearly distinguishes between pride of policy he helped implement for these four years, and he sees it separately from what he was asked and what he was forced to do postthe election,” said Tim Phillips, a Republican operative and Pence ally. “He’s proud of policies he helped implement and he is proud of of What did he do in period after the election. He shares those things.”
Pence has also joined other Republicans in criticize Democrats and media for too much attention on January 6. The adviser told Pence team believes Republican voters are becoming less interested in the 2020 election and that residual anger towards Pence has subsided. He has found what in visiting the states of early 2024, he is not often asked about this topic.
Pence only briefly mentioned the 2020 election, for for example, in campaign rally last month for Georgia Governor Brian Kemp. This appearance was different way for him to establish his independence from Trump by not attacking him directly, since Trump supported the unsuccessful challenge on former Senator David Purdue in GOP primary group.
Pence accent on campaign with 2022 candidates and the allocation of republican priorities – he just returned from a visit to the border – instead of struggle over 2020 elections create another contrast with Trump, the man said in frequent contact with in former vice president who spoke anonymously to discuss private conversations. pence will spend Thursday in Ohio fundraising with Gov. Mike DeWine and Rep. Steve Chabo, and joining DeWine for round table with Oil and gas industry group.
Ohio State Commitment reason Pence won’t show up at the Faith and Freedom Coalition conference, the person said, adding that the cries he faced last time was not a factor in in decision.
Familiar person with Pence said at the conference remains close with to coalition’s founder and chairman, Ralph Reed, and will be invited back. Pence and Reid appeared together last month in event in North Carolina.
Although Pence was invited to perform at Reed’s program in Nashville, according to numerous people involved, he was not advertised as a guest speaker on conference site. lineup includes other potential 2024 Republican nominees including Senator Tim Scott (SC), Senator Rick Scott (FL), former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley and former secretary of Mike Pompeo’s fortune.
speaker who got the top bill: Trump.
Annie Lynskey contributed to this report.
