MANCHESTER, N.H. (AP) — Former Vice President Mike Pence on Wednesday implored fellow Republicans to stop lashing out at the FBI over the search of Donald Trump’s Florida home and denounced calls by some of the former president’s allies to defund the FBI, saying that was “just as wrong” as a push by Democratic activists to shift money from police.
Pence also said he would give “due consideration” if asked to testify before the House committee investigating the riot at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.
His pleas for restraint come as law enforcement officials warn of an escalating number of violent threats targeting federal agents and government facilities since agents last week searched Mar-a-Lago as part of the Justice Department’s investigation into the discovery of classified White House records recovered from Trump’s estate earlier this year.
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Speaking in New Hampshire, Pence was asked what went through his mind when he heard about the FBI search of Trump’s home. Pence, who like Trump is considering a 2024 presidential bid, said he has been troubled by what he called the politicization of the FBI. He also said the Justice Department and Attorney General Merrick Garland should be more forthcoming about what led authorities to conduct the search.
But Trump’s former vice president also had a message for the GOP.
“I also want to remind my fellow Republicans, we can hold the attorney general accountable for the decision he made without attacking the rank-and-file law enforcement personnel at the FBI,” he said at the Politics & Eggs event at St. Anselm College.
“The Republican Party is the party of law and order,” Pence continued. “Our party stands with the men and women who stand on the thin blue line at the federal and state and local level, and these attacks on the FBI must stop. Calls to defund the FBI are just as wrong as calls to defund the police.”
Federal authorities and private extremism monitors have warned that a growing number of ardent Trump supporters seem ready to strike back against the FBI or others who, they believe, go too far in investigating the former president.
In Ohio, a man wearing body armor and armed with an assault rifle and a nail gun was shot and killed after trying to breach the FBI’s Cincinnati office. In Pennsylvania, a man was arrested after posting death threats against agents on social media.
FBI Director Christopher Wray had said that threats to agents and the Justice Department are “deplorable and dangerous.” The FBI has warned its agents to take precautions, citing an increase in social media threats to bureau personnel and facilities. Some GOP lawmakers and others are demanding that FBI be dismantled and defunded.
Pence, who has been strategically trying to distance himself from his ex-boss, prefaced his response by saying, “Look, it’s fairly well known that President Trump and I have had our differences.” Still, Pence has been careful to frequently cite the accomplishments of the “Trump-Pence administration,” hoping that he can appeal to voters who may have supported Trump’s policies but are put off by Trump’s behavior.
Their paths diverged on Jan. 6, 2021, when a mob of angry Trump supporters stormed the Capitol in an effort to stop Congress’ formal certification of Joe Biden’s presidential victory. Trump denounced his vice president for refusing to object or delay the certification — something Pence had no power to do. A fake gallows was constructed on the National Mall, and people who broke into the Capitol chanted, “ Hang Mike Pence! Hang Mike Pence! ”
Pence had previously refused to say whether he would engage with the House committee investigating the insurrection if the panel requested his testimony. On Wednesday, he said he would consider it.
“If there was an invitation to participate, I would consider it,” Pence said, adding he would first reflect “on the unique role” he was serving as vice president.
“It would be unprecedented in history for a vice president to be summoned to testify on Capitol Hill, but as I said, I don’t want to prejudge,” he said. “If ever any formal invitation was rendered to us, we’d give it due consideration.”
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Pence had previously refused to say whether he would engage with the House committee (Kangaroo court witch hunt) investigating the insurrection if the panel requested his testimony. On Wednesday, he said he would consider it.
Why would any honorable person even consider participating in the Jan. 6, 2021 Kangaroo court witch hunt. It is nothing but a one sided orchestrate and fabricated political farce with the intent to try and keep President Donald Trump from becoming president again.
“He also said the Justice Department and Attorney General Merrick Garland should be more forthcoming about what led authorities to conduct the search.” ??? No !,, Self-confessed Merrick Garland should be arrested and stripped of his powers for admittedly violating The Constitutional 4th amendment regarding EVERY CITIZEN’s right against illegal search and seizures. This over-PENCive Casper milktoast tries to portray Garland’s criminal acts as just a tempest in a teapot instead of a tempest against the American Tea Party of patriots and all things American Conservative.
“For everything there is a season, and a time for every [a]purpose under heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted”,,,and a time to pluck the boogers out of the snotty nose of the Covid contaminated American body politic, planted by socialist/communist conspirators bent on illegally taking over power OVER the PEOPLE not for THE PEOPLE. An American electoral hurricane is about to hit and Pence is just sand bagging THE PEOPLE instead of sandbagging and shoring up both the Houses of THE PEOPLE. Pence needs to man up or bow out.
BECAUSE HE IS NOT honorable. HE fooled us all, by claiming he was!
Mike Pence…. One has to wonder if, Mike Pence’s political ambitions aren’t the reason he’s making these comment against Donald Trump and his comments about the F.B.I. then again, Mike Pence might turn out to be a ” RINO.”
Mike Pence , is a CON , FRAUD , HABITUAL LIAR and TRAITOR. Pence throw his own Parents under the BUS if he had a Chance
Sing a song of Sick Pence, a pocket full of lies,
Four and twenty Home invaders baked into his pie,
When the Pie was opened, whistle blowers began to sing,
Now the truth is coming out he never will be King.
Mike Pence is much like Mitt Romney, In politic to benefit themselves as all leftist democrats are Nancy Pelosi’s Son and his China Connections, Hunter Biden’s, China Connections It’s not by accident that the politicians Family does well too.
AND IF THE FBI hadn’t continually acted like GEstapo goons, WE WOULDN’T ALL be peeved at them!
Go away Mike.
I thought VP Mike Pence was a very good, well articulated Vice President. However, he is definitely a RINO. Mike Pence obviously wants a ‘seat at the table,’ so he is never, ‘on the menu!’
Mike Pence is a prime example of the “old guard” Republicans who have become accustomed to bending over for the progressives and thinking “victory” means lopping off 10 or 15 percent of whatever hoary spending bill the democrats try to pass. He, Cornyn, Graham and others are of no help in turning this political ship around. I don’t think they fully recognize what the progressive/socialists are doing, and they certainly don’t have the stomach to do what is necessary to stop them. I truly believe, that unlike most of us, these old guard GOP leaders don’t really believe our political system is currently under siege by the left. They seem to see this as business as usual in the normal Washington D.C. political process, and that is sad.
That’s because they are PART OF THE PROBLEM. TILL WE get all this old guard out, we won’t imo, be able to FIX Our nation.
The FBI now has little to do with ‘law enforcement’; they are primarily the political police for the American establishment/communist party. Pence is the type of ‘surrender’ Republican who has enabled the dismantling of Constitutional America by refusing to recognize what has been happening. He is still in denial…
They need a name change, to Federal intimidation bureau.
I admired Mike Pence for years, mainly because of his commitment to Christianity. I was happy when he was picked as Trump’s VP.
Now, I’m done. The last thing I need is another politician who wants to tell me what I can’t say and who want’s to testify to the farce of the so-called Jan. 6 committee. He’s gone to the dark side and I never vote for the dark side.
You;re not the only one who was Fooled by his ‘commitment’.
Although I don’t disagree with what Pence actually said, by saying it publicly the way he did, he gave the Democrats all the ammunition they need. Now they can say, “see even Republicans agree, we’re the party that supports law enforcement”. Never mind that they spent the last two years plus pushing defunding the police and encouraging riots and massive property damage. Now they have their talking point. I’ve always said never underestimate Republicans ability to screw up a sure win.
This guy turned out to be a disappointment.
Lots of hot wind blowing and all talk and no action so who is this that Probably Enjoys Nuts & Coffee Everyday.
Pence is about as worthless as McConnell, Graham and every other DC career politician who still operates under the go along to get along LOSING STRATEGY! Where has their LOSING STRATEGY gotten us? An ILLEGITIMATE GOVERNMENT in our White House and an imploding economy. When will someone stand up and say ENOUGH IS ENOUGH?