Trump asks court to block Pence’s grand jury testimony in probe of 2020 election interference
The former president submitted a secret court filing in an attempt to exert executive privilege over Mike Pence’s testimony
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Donald Trump has sought to block Mike Pence from testifying before a grand jury as part of a criminal investigation into 2020 election interference, according to a report.
Mr Trump submitted a secret court filing asserting executive privilege over conversations with his former vice president about efforts to overturn his defeat in the presidential election, CNN reported, citing confidential sources.
The Justice Department is trying to compel Mr Pence to provide evidence to the grand jury, after he indicated he would fight a subpoena issued by special counsel Jack Smith.
The criminal probe is investigating the events on and leading up to January 6th, when a pro-Trump mob stormed the US Capital in an attempt to prevent Joe Biden’s election victory from being certified.
Mr Pence was placed under enormous pressure by Mr Trump and his allies to delay certifying the results, leading to the crowd of riled-up January 6 rioters chanting “hang Mike Pence”.
Previously, Mr Pence claimed that he cannot be forced to provide testimony because he was acting in his role as president of the Senate that day, which he argues would grant him immunity.
Mr Smith, the special counsel, is locked in at least eight secret court battles as he tries to unearth evidence related to Mr Trump’s efforts to overturn the election results and his handling of classified material.
He has also issued subpoenas for Mr Trump’s daughter Ivanka Trump and son-in-law Jared Kushner, and former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments