Add Mike Pence to the list of prominent Republicans attempting to white wash the Capitol Hill riot.
On Monday night, the former Vice President appeared on Sean Hannity’s Fox News show and claimed the attack was “one day in January” being used by “the media” to “distract from the Biden administration’s failed agenda.”
He added that “they” want to use “that one day to try and demean the character and intentions of 74 million Americans.”
Pence’s statement was remarkable on several levels. Rioters who breached the Capitol on January 6th were intent on executing him for failing to block the certification of the 2020 presidential election. The chant “Hang Mike Pence!” was repeated over and over again.
Pence escaped, but 140 police officers were injured. It was the first time in American history that a violent mob attempted to delay the peaceful transfer of power.
On Monday, Pence added, “Jan. 6 was a tragic day in the history of our Capitol building, but thanks to the efforts of Capitol Hill police [and] federal officials, the Capitol was secured.”
Pence came under intense pressure to throw out the results of the 2020 presidential election in several states that he and Donald Trump lost. The constitution clearly does not imbue the vice president with that authority. Still, Pence’s decision to certify the vote angered Trump.
But Pence told Hannity that he and Trump “parted amicably” and that they have since spoken “a number of times.”
“Look, you can’t spend almost five years in a political foxhole with somebody without developing a strong relationship,” Pence explained.
The former VP will likely seek the 2024 GOP presidential nomination. CNN reports:
Top aides to Pence told CNN this week that the Indiana Republican has doubled his team to about 20 people this summer. He’s also added a top Republican fundraiser, John Fogarty, and new office space for his non-profit group, Advancing American Freedom.