'More, please': Twitter eggs Pence on after he skewers Trump over 2020 election indictment

01 August 2023

Former Vice President Mike Pence, who is also a 2024 Republican candidate for president, denounced ex-President Donald Trump following his Tuesday federal indictment over his attempt to overturn the 2020 election.

Pence tweeted, "Today's indictment serves as an important reminder: anyone who puts himself over the Constitution should never be President of the United States. I will have more to say about the government’s case after reviewing the indictment. The former president is entitled to the presumption of innocence but with this indictment, his candidacy means more talk about January 6th and more distractions. As Americans, his candidacy means less attention paid to Joe Biden's disastrous economic policies afflicting millions across the United States and to the pattern of corruption with Hunter."

He continued, "Our country is more important than one man. Our constitution is more important than any one man’s career. On January 6th, Former President Trump demanded that I choose between him and the Constitution. I chose the Constitution and I always will. As your president, I will not yield an inch in defending America, our people, or our values, and I promise you: I will do so in a way consistent with my oath to the Constitution and the character and decency of the American people. We will restore a threshold of integrity and civility in public life so we can bring real solutions to the challenges plaguing our nation."

Pence's words come just days after CNN's Dana Bash asked him, "If the Justice Department has evidence that" Trump "committed a crime related to January 6th, do you not think he should be charged?"

In his response, the 2024 hopeful said although Trump's "words were reckless, based on what I know, I'm not yet convinced that they were criminal."

In March, Trump asserted the deadly January 6 insurrection was Pence's fault, saying, "Had he sent the votes back to the legislators, they wouldn't have had a problem with Jan. 6. Had he sent them back to Pennsylvania, Georgia, Arizona, the states, I believe, number one, you have had a different outcome. But I also believe you wouldn’t have had 'Jan. 6' as we call it."

However, legal experts, scholars, and lawmakers said "as vice president, Mike Pence had no constitutional authority to 'send votes back to the legislators,'" according to The Washington Post.

Journalists pointed out via Twitter that special counsel Jack Smith's indictment against the ex-president highlights Trump's criticism of Pence for refusing to help him conspire to overturn the election.

Andrew Feinberg, White House Correspondent for The Independent shared a screenshot from the indictment, writing, "Prosecutors cite Trump's tweet about Pence not having 'courage' as a way he exploited the violence on Jan 6."

The Messenger Senior Legal Correspondent Adam Kladfeld tweeted: "You're too honest." — What Trump told Pence on Jan. 1, after the then-VP said he had no constitutional authority to reject or return votes to the states, according to the indictment.

Some political experts suggested the ex-vice president is on the right track by calling out Trump's wrongdoing.

Former Director of Press Advance for former President Barack Obama and NewsNation contributor Johanna Maska said: "This is the opportunity for @Mike_Pence to make his case. I can't believe Donald Trump used a Christmas Day phone call to ask Mike Pence to break the law. But then I can."

Ex-New York Republican Party Deputy Communications Director John William Schiffbauer added: "It's a start. More, please."

However, some Republicans mocked the 2024 hopeful for condemning his ex-boss.

Brett L. Tolman, executive director of Right on Crime, commented: "Tell me you forgot there was a primary before the general election without telling me …."

Conservative host Bennie Johnson said: "So glad Tucker Carlson ended your career"

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