Trump claims Jan. 6 committee should be investigating Mike Pence
After baseless claims suggesting former Vice President Mike Pence could have overturned the results of the 2020 election, former President Donald Trump is back with another charge — this one directed at the House select committee investigating the Capitol attack, calling on them to investigate why Pence did not on Jan. 6 "reject electoral college votes from several states won by Joe Biden," reports The Washington Post.
The ex-president's latest missive is a "more nuanced take on what he would have liked to have seen from Pence" that day, as well as a muddled criticism of Congress' decision to revise the Electoral Count Act, "a law that governs what Congress should do in the case of any disputes about which candidate won in a state," notes the Post.
There has been no evidence of widespread election or voter fraud that would have changed the outcome of the race.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
"So pathetic to watch the Unselect Committee of political hacks, liars, and traitors work so feverishly to alter the Electoral College Act so that a vice president cannot ensure the honest results of the election, when just one year ago they said that 'the vice president has absolutely no right to ensure the true outcome or results of an election,'" Trump wrote, alleging the committtee "lied" about Pence's rights. The legislation Congress is considering would not change the vice president's role in election certification, it would simply make it more explicit, The Independent explains.
Instead of investigating the Capitol riot, Trump claims, the commitee should be investigating "why [House Speaker] Nancy Pelosi did such a poor job of overseeing security" on Jan. 6, "and why Mike Pence did not send back the votes for recertification or approval, in that it has now been shown that he clearly had the right to do so!"
Pence does not currently have plans to appear before the committee.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Brigid Kennedy worked at The Week from 2021 to 2023 as a staff writer, junior editor and then story editor, with an interest in U.S. politics, the economy and the music industry.
-
'The Hum': the real-life noise behind The Listeners
In The Spotlight Can some of us also hear the disturbing sound that plagues characters in the hit TV show – and where is it coming from?
By Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week UK Published
-
The Week Unwrapped: Are we any closer to identifying UFOs?
Podcast Plus, will deals with Tunisia and Kurdistan help Labour? And what next for the Wagner Group?
By The Week Staff Published
-
Quiz of The Week: 16 - 22 November
Have you been paying attention to The Week's news?
By The Week Staff Published
-
Brendan Carr, Trump's FCC pick, takes aim at Big Tech
In the Spotlight The next FCC commissioner wants to end content moderation practices on social media sites
By David Faris Published
-
'This needs to be a bigger deal'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
GOP's Mace seeks federal anti-trans bathroom ban
Speed Read Rep. Nancy Mace of South Carolina has introduced legislation to ban transgender people from using federal facilities
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
The political latitude of Musk's cost-cutting task force
Talking Points A $2 trillion goal. And big obstacles in the way.
By Joel Mathis, The Week US Published
-
Ukraine fires ATACMS, Russia ups hybrid war
Speed Read Ukraine shot U.S.-provided long-range missiles and Russia threatened retaliation
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
New York DA floats 4-year Trump sentencing freeze
Speed Read President-elect Donald Trump's sentencing is on hold, and his lawyers are pushing to dismiss the case while he's in office
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
'It may not be surprising that creative work is used without permission'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
What message is Trump sending with his Cabinet picks?
TODAY'S BIG QUESTION By nominating high-profile loyalists like Matt Gaetz and RFK Jr., is Trump serious about creating a functioning Cabinet, or does he have a different plan in mind?
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published