Pence says history will hold Trump ‘ accountable’ for Jan. 6

WASHINGTON – Former Vice President Mike Pence delivered his sharpest criticism yet of Donald Trump on Saturday, saying the former president put Pence’s family in danger and that history will hold him “accountable” over the insurrection of Jan. 6, 2021.

“President Trump was wrong,” Pence said in a speech at the annual Gridiron dinner, a gathering of senior Washington journalists and dignitaries. “I had no right to overturn the election. And his reckless words endangered my family and everyone at the Capitol that day. And I know that history will hold Donald Trump accountable.”

Pence’s words came as Trump is facing investigations in Atlanta and Washington over Jan. 6.

A Justice Department special counsel has subpoenaed Pence to talk about Trump’s Jan. 6 actions. The former vice president’s lawyers are seeking to quash the subpoena, saying prosecutors lack the legal authority to ask him about private conversations with a sitting president.

Pence is considering running against Trump for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, and has said he will decide over the summer.

Pence excoriated the former president as the Republican speaker at the Gridiron, a group of journalists that sponsors a white- tie dinner featuring skits and parody about both parties.

The first half of Pence’s speech was lighthearted as he told jokes about himself, President Joe Biden, the Democrats – and Trump, citing the time he invited him to a Bible study.

“He really liked the passages about the smiting and perishing of thine enemies,” Pence said. “As he put it, ‘ ya know Mike, there’s some really good stuff in here.’ ”

Pence turned serious as he began to talk about the attack on the U. S. Capitol on the day of the special session of Congress to formally count electoral votes from the 2020 presidential election. As vice president, Pence had a ceremonial role presiding over the session and his family had joined him at the Capitol.

Trump sought to pressure Pence to help him overturn the election, asking him to throw out electoral votes from states that Biden won. Pence refused, infuriating Trump, who criticized Pence at a rally. Angry Trump supporters stormed the Capitol, chanting “hang Mike Pence.”

Pence said, then and now, that he had no authority to meddle in the result.

Trump and many of his supporters have downplayed the insurrection. Fox News commentator Tucker Carlson stirred outrage last week by inaccurately depicting the insurrection as a peaceful gathering.

Pence did not mention Carlson by name but countered that depiction, saying Jan. 6, 2021, was a “tragic day.”

“It was not, as some would have us believe, a matter of tourists peacefully enjoying our Capitol,” he said.

“Make no mistake about it, what happened that day was a disgrace. And it mocks decency to portray it any other way,” Pence said.

ALEX BRANDON/ AP Former Vice President Mike Pence, speaking last month in Washington, addressed the Gridiron dinner on Saturday.