Mike Pence

Light At End Of Tunnel For ECA Reform: Lawmakers Include It In Year-End Spending Bill
Where Things Stand: Pence Rebuffed Jan 6 Panel But Is Open To Considering DOJ Testimony
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The Justice Department wants to question former veep Mike Pence as part of its criminal probe into Donald Trump’s efforts to stay in power after the 2020 election, two people familiar with the matter told the New York Times in a piece published this afternoon. Pence is reportedly considering the request, breaking from his outright refusal to cooperate with the House Jan. 6 Select Committee’s probe into the matter.

A DOJ investigator reached out to Pence’s team before Attorney General Merrick Garland announced on Friday that he was appointing Jack Smith as special counsel to oversee and weigh charges in the DOJ’s criminal probe into Trump’s efforts to overturn the election, as well as the department’s classified records case.

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Where Things Stand: Pence Joins Graham’s Great ‘Election Interference’
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While vowing his undying allegiance to the “pro-life” movement, Turning Point USA founder and far-right provocateur Charlie Kirk could barely contain his ire with Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) this week as he sweatily yelled at the senator for his abortion ban legislation. Kirk described the introduction of a bill that would ban abortion federally at 15-weeks just weeks out from the midterms as synonymous with “election interference.”

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Where Things Stand: Reminder Of Ornato’s Role In Pushing Pence To Leave Capitol On Jan 6
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As my colleague Kaila Philo reported earlier today, Secret Service Assistant Director Tony Ornato retired from the agency this week, leaving plenty of unanswered questions in his wake. The DHS inspector general’s office had reportedly been trying to get him to sit for an interview about matters related to the missing texts scandal; it’s unclear, now, whether that will happen.

There are two layers to recent intrigue surrounding Ornato. His role in whatever tf was going on with the missing Secret Service texts is, of course, one. But secondly, Ornato’s standing as a character of interest to the Jan. 6 committee increased 10-fold after Cassidy Hutchinson gave astonishing public testimony earlier this summer.

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Jan. 6 Panel Members Say They’re In Talks With Pence’s Counsel About Testifying
Where Things Stand: Pence’s Strategic Toe-Dipping
This is your TPM evening briefing.

Former Vice President Mike Pence is walking a sort of unprecedented fine line — saying a bunch of stuff that’s just subtly enough at odds with Trump that he makes headlines, but not so harsh in breaking with Trump that he Cheneys himself.

At least two of his remarks today provided an excellent example of this.

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Pence Urges GOPers To Aim Their Ire At Garland, Stop Attacking FBI In Wake Of Raid
Trump Advisors Were Brutally Honest In Private That Fake Electors Were, In Fact, ‘Fake’
Five Points On What We Want To Know About Two Pence Aides’ Grand Jury Testimony
Radio Traffic Shows Pence Security Detail’s Panic During Capitol Attack
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