Aug 1, 2023 - Politics & Policy

Pence, key Jan. 6 witness, takes aim at Trump over indictment

Rebecca Falconer

Former Vice President Mike Pence, a 2024 Republican presidential candidate speaks during a July event in Des Moines, Iowa. Photo: Scott Olson/Getty Images

Mike Pence addressed Tuesday his Republican presidential rival Donald Trump's federal indictment in the Jan. 6 investigation into alleged efforts to overturn the 2020 election.

What he's saying: "Today's indictment serves as an important reminder: Anyone who puts himself over the Constitution should never be president of the United States," Trump's former vice president said in a statement that also emphasized that the ex-president was entitled to a presumption of innocence.

Why it matters: Pence is considered a key witness in the Jan. 6 case brought by special counsel Jack Smith due to his insights into events leading up to the U.S. Capitol riot and because of his resisting pressure he faced from those seeking to stop him from certifying President Biden's election win.

Pence addressed this point in his statement Tuesday, saying: "On January 6th, former President Trump demanded that I choose between him and the Constitution. I chose the Constitution, and I always will."

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Pence, key Jan. 6 witness, takes aim at Trump over indictment

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