The Justice Department is seeking to compel Mike Pence to provide testimony in the investigation into the events of January 6th.

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Recent reports indicate that the United States Justice Department has requested a court order to compel Vice President Mike Pence to testify in a criminal investigation into former President Donald Trump’s efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election. This investigation was initiated by the Biden administration in response to the events of January 6, 2021, when a violent mob of Trump supporters stormed the United States Capitol building, forcing Congress to halt its proceedings to certify the electoral victory of President Joe Biden.

Trump’s attorneys previously asserted executive privilege over Pence’s subpoena, but the special counsel overseeing the investigation obtained grand jury subpoenas for the testimony of Trump’s daughter Ivanka Trump and her husband, Jared Kushner, both of whom served as senior White House advisors during the Trump administration. The motion to compel Pence’s testimony asks the court to uphold the legal authority of the grand jury subpoena.

Pence, who is a potential candidate for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, has announced his intention to fight the subpoena. He plans to argue that he is protected by the Constitution’s “speech or debate” clause due to his former role as president of the Senate, which was held by virtue of his position as Vice President of the United States.

This latest development in the investigation into the events of January 6th is just one example of the ongoing legal battles surrounding the Trump presidency. In addition to the criminal investigation, Trump is also facing legal challenges related to the hundreds of documents seized by the FBI from his personal residence at Mar-a-Lago and the alleged mishandling of classified information.

The investigation into Trump’s efforts to overturn the election results has been ongoing for several months, and the recent subpoenas for testimony from Pence, Ivanka Trump, and Jared Kushner suggest that the special counsel is moving forward with its inquiry. It remains to be seen how the court will rule on the motion to compel Pence’s testimony and how this development will impact the broader investigation into the events of January 6th.