USA: Justice Department wants to question ex-Vice President Mike Pence about the storming of the Capitol

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Mike Pence at an event in November

Photo: WADE VANDERVORT / AFP

According to a media report, the US Department of Justice plans to question former Vice President Mike Pence as a witness to the storming of the Capitol on January 6, 2021.

The New York Times reports, citing two unspecified people familiar with the matter.

Talks about this are still in the early stages.

Pence would consider a request should it be made, it said.

He would acknowledge "that the Justice Department's criminal investigation differs from the investigation by the January 6 House Committee."

The Justice Department is leading a criminal investigation into ex-President Donald Trump's efforts to stay in power after his 2020 election defeat.

The investigative committee in the US House of Representatives is also dealing with the storming of the Capitol – Pence had previously very clearly refused to cooperate with this investigation.

"This door has closed"

In an interview with US broadcaster CBS News, Pence said he did not want to speak before the committee.

The US Congress has "no right to my testimony," said Pence.

“That door is closed.” Pence said it would set a precedent for a vice president to speak there about White House events.

Accordingly, he will not voluntarily appear before the committee on the storming of the Capitol.

Trump supporters violently stormed the seat of parliament in the capital Washington.

Congress met there to certify Biden's election victory.

Five people were killed in the riots, including a police officer.

Pence had had to hide in the house for hours at the time.

Trump is said to have incited a crowd at an appearance before the Capitol storm with false claims that his victory in the presidential election was stolen by fraud.

At present, the committee wants to quote Trump himself for testimony, whose lawyers are defending themselves against the subpoena in court.

In the criminal investigation by the US Department of Justice, Trump could try to take legal action to prevent or restrict Pence from testifying, the New York Times wrote.

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