


Former President Donald Trump asked a federal court to prevent former Vice President Mike Pence from testifying before a grand jury.
Pence has been called to speak about the role Trump played in trying to overturn the results of the 2020 election, information that is covered by executive privilege, according to people familiar with the move told CNN. Trump’s attorneys filed the request secretly in a sealed hearing on Friday.
PENCE SLAMS SPECIAL COUNSEL JACK SMITH OVER REQUESTS TO TESTIFY IN JAN. 6 INQUIRY
Special Counsel Jack Smith is leading multiple investigations into Trump and has zeroed in on Pence in recent weeks. Trump has indicated that he would attempt to exercise executive privilege over any questions Smith had for Pence.
Pence criticized Smith’s efforts to force him to testify last week, arguing the move was “unprecedented” and “unconstitutional.”
“Subpoenaing a former vice president to testify in court against the president with whom they served, I believe, is unprecedented in American history,” Pence said. “But as I said last week, I believe it’s also unconstitutional. And we’ll make that case through the ordinary judicial processes, but my counsel informs me that I’m, I’m constrained from speaking about it any further, but I stand by what I said. And I will continue to.”
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While Trump has fought to block Pence’s testimony since Smith subpoenaed the former vice president on Feb. 9, Pence hasn’t given any indication he plans to speak with Smith. Pence and his attorneys have leaned a novel theory that Pence was covered by the “speech or debate” clause on Jan. 6, 2021, given his role as president of the Senate when he was certifying Electoral College votes.
Trump’s secret Friday filing comes weeks after prosecutors argued Pence should be forced to testify in the investigation.