During a recent interview on Fox News, former Vice President Mike Pence was back to making excuses for Trump's involvement in the January 6 insurrection attempt.
His excuse this time was a bit more out there than usual though—it's not illegal to take bad advice from lawyers.
Pence said:
"As I wrote in my book, the President’s actions and words on Jan. 6 were reckless. But I don’t know that it’s criminal to take bad advice from lawyers."
In addition to this patently false statement, Pence also said he hoped no charges would be brought against Trump for his actions.
"When it comes to the Justice Department’s decision about bringing charges in the future, I would hope that they would not bring charges against the former President."
You can view a clip of Pence's interview below:
\u201cMike Pence: "I would hope the [DOJ] would not bring charges against the former President...I think the President's actions and words on Jan. 6 were reckless, but I don't know that it's criminal to take bad advice from lawyers."\u201d— The Republican Accountability Project (@The Republican Accountability Project) 1671464847
Twitter users were incredulous.
\u201c@justinbaragona Follow up question: \u201cIs it your understanding\u2018lawyers\u2019 advised Trump to promote and facilitate an insurrection and what are you basing that on?\u201d\u201d— Justin Baragona (@Justin Baragona) 1671465030
\u201c@lifesafeast @AccountableGOP Agreed. I\u2019m tired of his downplaying the severity of Trump\u2019s crimes. He knew the plan, as did they all, and no one talked until they were forced to. All complicit, and they know it.\u201d— The Republican Accountability Project (@The Republican Accountability Project) 1671464847
\u201c@justinbaragona @TheRickWilson Advice?!? He was the president!\u201d— Justin Baragona (@Justin Baragona) 1671465030
\u201c@AccountableGOP His own WH counsel and other top advisors told him there was no fraud and warned him that he could be subject to criminal charges. Those lawyers gave him good advice and he rejected it. He alone is responsible for what happened!\u201d— The Republican Accountability Project (@The Republican Accountability Project) 1671464847
\u201c@AccountableGOP Everyone keepin track of the BS excuses for trump's insurrection we've been fed so far?\nBLM did it\nAntifa did it\nDems did it\nFBI did it\nCapitol cops did it\nTWITTER DID IT\nIt happened during the transition so no foul\nAll Americans are to blame\nMedia hoax\nIt never happened\nPardons!\u201d— The Republican Accountability Project (@The Republican Accountability Project) 1671464847
\u201c@AccountableGOP By "lawyers" he means Rudy, Jenna, and the band of misfits laughed out of court over 70 times & held a press conference in front of a dildo store. \n\nReal lawyers told Trump that it was not possible, they were going to see legal ramifications, then distanced themselves from him.\u201d— The Republican Accountability Project (@The Republican Accountability Project) 1671464847
\u201c@AccountableGOP "I don't know that it's criminal to take bad advice from lawyers" ... actually, when you act on it, it is.\u201d— The Republican Accountability Project (@The Republican Accountability Project) 1671464847
\u201c@AccountableGOP Haha! If the lawyer's advice is to rob a bank...it's not criminal to take the advice....it's criminal to rob the bank.\n\nHe robbed the bank.\u201d— The Republican Accountability Project (@The Republican Accountability Project) 1671464847
\u201c@BorowskiCyndi @justinbaragona Thank you. Yes, what a cowardly and disingenuous statement.\u201d— Justin Baragona (@Justin Baragona) 1671465030
\u201c@AccountableGOP So\u2026 when you want to break the law, make sure you have a bad lawyer tell you it\u2019s ok. Then you are immune from prosecution.\n\nSeems ludicrous\u201d— The Republican Accountability Project (@The Republican Accountability Project) 1671464847
A few commented on Pence's on-again-off-again relationship with protecting or denouncing Trump.
\u201c@Dallasgalleta @justinbaragona @TheRickWilson Isn\u2019t it though? The man can act!!!\u201d— Justin Baragona (@Justin Baragona) 1671465030
Twitter denizens weren't the only ones unimpressed by Pence's defense of Trump and dismissal of the January 6 Committee.
Virginia Congresswoman Elaine Luria, who has served on the Select Committee to Investigate the January 6 Attack on the United States Capitol—a.k.a. the January 6 committee—had a lot to say about Pence's waffling during an interview on CNN's The Lead with Jake Tapper.
Tapper asked Luria:
"There's also a comment that Mike Pence made, he attacked the partisan nature of the committee, blah, blah, blah. But the other thing that I thought was interesting is this is how he spins it."
"He said today, look, 'as I wrote in my book, I think the President's actions and words on January 6 were reckless, but I don't know that it's criminal to take bad advice from lawyers'."
She responded frankly:
"I'm actually kind of tired of Mike Pence trying to have it both ways. He really takes the limelight and likes to be portrayed as a hero because he did his job and followed the law."
"But at the same time, he goes back and tries to attack a committee that is bipartisan—really it's been one of the most bipartisan committees in the house in the way we've worked together and presented the evidence."
She continued:
"The facts are the facts and you know he has tried to discredit it in the public sphere. Many have tried to undermine the nature of the composition of the committee through the courts—and the courts have clearly rejected that."
"The truth is: we did our job as a congressional committee as for oversight and legislation. We've laid out the facts."
"We've painted a very clear picture for the American people of what led up to what happened on that day—it's spelled out in our report, the executive summary is out today."
Luria concluded:
"Later this week the full comprehensive report will be out, along with all of the testimony."
"In the executive summary, look at the witnesses we have in there, you know, 99% of them are Republicans who served in the Trump administration and many of them were appointed by Trump himself and confirmed by his Republican Senate."
"Those are the people who had the courage to come forward and speak and talk about the facts."
\u201cLuria: I'm actually kind of tired of Mike pence trying to have it both ways. He really takes the limelight and likes to be portrayed as a hero because he did his job and followed the law. But at the same time, he goes back and tries to attack a committee\u201d— Acyn (@Acyn) 1671484386
How history judges Pence and Trump remains to be seen.
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