Former Vice President Mike Pence on Wednesday said that former President Donald J. Trump and his advisers had tried to get him “essentially to overturn the election” and that the American people needed to know it.

The remarks, made in an interview with Fox News, are some of Mr. Pence’s most pointed to date about what he experienced in the weeks leading up to Jan. 6, 2021, when he presided over the congressional certification of Joseph R. Biden Jr.’s victory.

The indictment portrayed an attack on American democracy. Smith framed his case against Trump as one that cuts to a key function of democracy: the peaceful transfer of power. By underscoring this theme, Smith cast his effort as an effort not just to hold Trump accountable but also to defend the very core of democracy.

  • Flying Squid@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    Fuck Mike Pence. He did the bare minimum his job required and expects us to all applaud him for it.

    • dragontamer@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      He did the bare minimum his job required

      Compared to others who didn’t even do their job, or even went against their job functions (how many military generals sat still, refusing to deploy troops to Wash. DC in response to Jan. 6th?), Mike Pence is a hero.

      Bare minimum hero, but yes, he did the right thing on that day and that should be celebrated.

      • gAlienLifeform@lemmy.world
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        1 year ago

        Celebrating powerful people (who are trying to get more power and will leverage your celebrations towards that end) for doing the bare minimum is a big part of why this country keeps getting worse.

        The bare minimum is nothing to celebrate, it’s literally the least we deserve as Americans.

        • BurriedCondor
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          1 year ago

          Outside of this single act I’m no fan of Pence, but the man was under serious pressure and to acquiesce would have been the easy decision. Knowing that his life might be on the line, he did the right thing. I don’t think we should minimize this.

      • halferect@lemmy.world
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        1 year ago

        The DC national guard is subordinate to the president, secretary of defense, and secretary of the army, all appointed by trump, and my understanding is even if the secretary of defense or secretary of the army wanted to deploy the national guard they still need trump to ok it.No generals could deploy troops on January 6th, unless you are talking about wanting a general to start a military coup.also he shouldn’t be celebrated unless you think just doing your job is a thing to celebrate. Are we saying taco bell workers should be called heros because they made a taco? Pence did his job and that’s it, he is no hero.

        • dragontamer@lemmy.world
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          1 year ago

          Bullshit. The generals moved at 5pm+, many hours after Capitol police were overwhelmed

          And then the troops came in. Late, but they did in fact come in. The troops then slept at the Capitol building for the next few days, the Press took pictures, etc. etc.


          IIRC, it was Mike Pence who finally took a stand and told the Generals that Pence had the authority to ask for help, and that the Generals can get off their ass and send in the troops. Everyone was waiting for the President to give the order, troops at lower levels were literally sitting prepared waiting for orders by 2pm when it became obvious that the riot was getting out of hand.

          • Flying Squid@lemmy.world
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            1 year ago

            Oh, yes, D.C. National Guard troops finally did respond because they are not bound by Posse Comitatus, but they also couldn’t do it without Presidential authority.

            • dragontamer@lemmy.world
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              1 year ago

              Presidential authority

              Trump never approved of this.

              IIRC, the rumor is that Mike Pence called in the military.


              I certainly disagree with Mike Pence’s politics. But we gotta give Mike Pence credit for taking action (albeit hours late, and when his own life was on the line due to the rioters). Its the bare minimum to get things done, but Jan 6th would be even worse than it was if Mike Pence didn’t request military assistance by 5pm or so.

            • btaf45@lemmy.world
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              1 year ago

              Convicted Sex Offender Treason Trump’s Secretary of the Army put out an order on Jan 5 that no troops could be redeployed without his order, then he made him unavailable on Jan 6.

            • dragontamer@lemmy.world
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              1 year ago

              That’s DC National Guard sleeping in the Capital Building after being deployed on January 6th.

              If you were paying attention to the news on that day, you should recognize the pics. Literally the military defending the Capitol Building by sleeping / garrisoning there.

              So we all know the military got the authority to defend the Capitol Building. We literally have pictures of the troops there.