Trump lawyer says Pence will be star witness for defense; Pence says he was asked to reject votes 'outright'

Former President Donald Trump's lawyer John Lauro said Sunday that helium believes erstwhile Vice President Mike Pence volition beryllium 1 of the defense's "best witnesses" successful the federal case implicit Trump's alleged efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 election.

Trump was indicted connected 4 national felony charges Tuesday that centered connected his expected attempts to discount morganatic votes successful the 2020 statesmanlike contention and subvert the predetermination itself. The indictment describes however Trump and his lawyers pressured Pence to overturn Joe Biden's triumph by refusing to certify the results successful the Senate connected Jan. 6, 2021. Pence refused and had to beryllium evacuated from the Senate enclosure erstwhile members of the Jan. 6 mob called for him to beryllium hung.

The erstwhile president is facing further national charges successful transportation with a probe centered connected his retention of classified documents aft leaving bureau successful 2021. He was also charged by Manhattan prosecutors with falsifying concern records related to hush wealth payments to women who accidental they had extramarital affairs with him.

Pence has not been officially called to attest successful the predetermination case, but Lauro told ABC's "This Week" helium believes Pence's grounds would assistance exemplify that the erstwhile president was not acting with transgression intent.

"I cannot hold until I person the accidental to cross-examine Mr. Pence, due to the fact that what helium volition bash is wholly destruct immoderate uncertainty that Mr. Trump, President Trump, firmly believed that the predetermination irregularities had led to inappropriate results," Lauro said Sunday.

Pence told CBS' "Face the Nation" Sunday that if helium is yet asked to testify, helium volition travel the law.

Lauro added that Trump and his lawyers asked Pence to "pause the voting" to let states clip to audit votes, successful an interrogation with CNN's "State of the Union" Sunday. Pence, who besides spoke with CNN Sunday, said that was not the afloat story.

"Frankly, the time earlier January 6, if representation serves, they came backmost — his lawyers did — and said, 'We privation you to cull votes' outright," Pence said. "They were asking maine to overturn the election. I had nary close to overturn the election."

"I don't cognize what was successful [Trump's] heart, I don't cognize what his intentions were, but I bash cognize what helium and his lawyers asked maine to do. And it's what nary vice president successful American past had ever done before, and frankly what nary vice president oregon immoderate 1 idiosyncratic successful Washington should ever bash again," helium added.