Georgia prosecutors ‘list Mike Pence as witness who could be called to testify’ in Donald Trump’s election interference trial
- The former vice president has repeatedly said he believes the 2020 presidential election was not stolen from Trump, despite claims from his supporters.
Former Vice President Mike Pence’s name was reportedly included on a list of more than 150 witnesses that Georgia prosecutors could call to testify at Donald Trump’s trial in the state on charges he tried to overturn the 2020 election.
Pence previously appeared before a grand jury as part of special counsel Jack Smith’s federal investigation into Trump’s efforts to undermine President Joe Biden’s victory.
The list of witnesses in Georgia has not been made public, it was first reported CNN. A Fulton County grand jury indicted Trump and 18 others in August, accusing them of participating in a wide-ranging scheme to keep Trump in power.
In January 2021, Pence found himself in the crosshairs of fringe lunatics who invaded the US Capitol after the former Indiana governor certified the presidential election results, removing Trump from office.
“Despite what the former president and his allies have said for over two and a half years and continue to insist… the Georgia election was not stolen, and I did not have the authority to overturn the January 6th election,” Pence said in August. .
Trump and Pence are pictured in happier times during the 2016 Republican National Convention in Cleveland.
The former Indiana governor quietly ended his presidential campaign in October.
Last week, one of Trump’s lawyers, Steven Sadow, said Trump should be freed from trial in Georgia if he wins the 2024 presidential election.
The former host of “The Apprentice” is currently the Republican front-runner despite the numerous legal challenges he faces, having been impeached twice and lashing out at the economy in the final months of his presidency.
Pence quietly ended his campaign for the nomination in October.
Sadow’s remarks show how Trump could use his re-election campaign and a possible second four-year term to delay these cases, even in state courts where he would not be able to pardon himself and would not have control over the prosecution.
Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis last week requested that the Georgia trial begin in August 2024, a timetable that would likely extend proceedings until Election Day and into early 2025.
“What will be the state’s response to the fact that holding this trial on Election Day constitutes election interference?” Judge Scott McAfee asked the question to prosecutors.
“The district attorney has made it clear that she has no interest in interfering or participating in the presidential election,” prosecutor Nathan Wade said during the hearing. “Her sole goal is to move this matter forward.”
Trump objected to the proposed trial in August.
“Can you imagine that the Republican candidate for president cannot campaign for the presidency because he is in some form or another in a courtroom defending himself?” Sadow asked during the hearing.
Trump leads in Arizona and Georgia, but trails Biden in Wisconsin
Former President Donald Trump is the clear favorite to win the 2024 GOP nomination.
Trump and 14 co-defendants have pleaded not guilty to racketeering and other charges in what prosecutors say was a coordinated scheme to reverse Trump’s narrow loss in Georgia after the 2020 election.
Four of the original 19 defendants pleaded guilty to lesser charges in exchange for agreeing and cooperating with the prosecution.
McAfee has not set a trial date for Friday but expressed skepticism that all 15 remaining defendants could be tried together.
On Thursday, the four Republican candidates, excluding Trump, will make their case to the American public on the debate stage in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.
Trump, who has staged public appearances to compete for attention at the three previous GOP debates, will spend the evening this time at a private fundraiser in Florida.
The four competitors are former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley, entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis.
But the candidates’ recent maneuvers suggest they will spend more time going after each other than targeting Trump, and many Republican power players say attacks on the former president are getting less impact given his popularity among Republicans.