J.D. Vance told CNN’s Caitlin Collins that he doesn’t think Mike Pence’s life was ever in danger during the January 6 attack on the Capitol.
“Kaitlan, I’m extremely skeptical that Mike Pence’s life was ever in danger,” he said. “People in politics like to exaggerate things from time to time. A lot of folks in the Democratic party act as though January 6th was the scariest moment of their lives. Look, January 6th was a bad day, it was a riot, but the idea that Donald Trump endangered anyone’s lives when he told them to protest peacefully? It’s just absurd.”
When Collins pointed out that the January 6th mob wanted to hang Mike Pence, Vance demurred. “Did a few people say some bad things? Sure. But do we blame Donald Trump for every bad thing that’s ever been said by a participant in American democracy? That’s an absurd standard.”
Donald Trump is the only president in American history impeached twice, the second time for his conspiracy to incite violence and overthrow Joe Biden’s legal and fair victory in the 2020 election. In a final report on the insurrection, Rep. Bennie Thompson, chair of the January 6th Committee, said Trump “lit the fire” of violence on that day. Per PBS:
“During those hours, Pence huddled and hid in the Capitol, begging security officials for a quicker National Guard response as rioters outside called for his hanging because he would not illegally try to thwart Biden’s win as Congress was counting the votes. Inside the White House, dozens of staffers and associates pleaded with Trump to make a forceful statement. But he did not.”
But Vance told CNN’s Collins that the “biggest threat” to democracy is something else entirely: “Joe Biden is preventing Donald Trump from campaigning, and taking his case to the American people, even as they hide their own candidate.”
Vance is in a unique position just a couple months later. Trump names him the Republican vice-presidential nominee, a role that’s only open because Mike Pence no longer supports Trump after the insurrection.
SOURCES
- CNN on YouTube
- PBS Newshour
- BBC
