On January 6, 2021, Vice President Mike Pence was forced to run for his life while a gallows pole was erected in front of the Capitol Building by a mob chanting “hang Mike Pence!” His security detail called their families to say good-bye, sure that the rioters who had stormed the Capitol in Trump’s name would come for them. Now, Pence’s chief of staff Marc Short spoke under subpoena to a grand jury about that day.
SCOOP: Former Pence chief of staff appeared before grand jury probing Jan. 6: Sources story w/ @KFaulders @alex_mallin https://t.co/GNS2CshzuH
— John Santucci (@Santucci) July 25, 2022
Short and his attorney were spotted outside the D.C. District Court amidst reports that he had appeared in front of the grand jury. His knowledge of events that occurred during the planning of the rally that preceded the attack on the Capitol is said to be the focus of his testimony. Short is one of several people subpoenaed to testify about that planning.
According to ABC News:
‘Grand jury subpoenas were sent to those who assisted in the organizing and planning of former President Donald Trump’s “Save America” rally on the Ellipse near the White House, the sources said, with prosecutors seeking multiple records and documents related to the rally, including text messages and emails, as well as potential communications with other individuals regarding the logistics of the event.’
Marc Short told the committee that Mark Meadows seemingly agreed that Pence didn't have the power to overturn Trump's loss pic.twitter.com/OPoLy4wm3m
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) June 16, 2022
Prosecutors are currently gathering text messages and emails related to the event as well as documents and other forms of communication. In addition to the planning of the “Save America” rally that is under speculation are the records of the financing, giving prosecutors a potentially clear path to uncovering any crimes related to them.
‘In March, the Department of Justice expanded its criminal probe into the events of Jan. 6 to include preparations for the rally that preceded the storming of the Capitol, as well as the financing for the event, multiple sources familiar with the matter told ABC News.’
"[Marc Short's] an incredibly important witness and I also think…the fact that the Justice Dept. is putting him in the grand jury is really good practice…you have to lock people in under oath, there's no better way to do that in a grand jury"- @AWeissmann_ w/ @NicolleDWallace pic.twitter.com/Ka8xSyEmXj
— Deadline White House (@DeadlineWH) July 25, 2022
Meanwhile, the country waits to see justice done to the people responsible for the Jan. 6 attack, including the twice-impeached ex-president who lost the popular vote twice and tried to overthrow democracy to stay in power. As he and others are revealed to have committed numerous crimes against the country in the Jan. 6 hearings, it could not be more necessary to see them held accountable.
Attorney General Merrick Garland said that:
‘There is a lot of speculation about what the Justice Department is doing, what’s it not doing, what our theories are and what our theories aren’t, and there will continue to be that speculation. We have to hold accountable every person who is criminally responsible for trying to overturn a legitimate election, and we must do it in a way filled with integrity and professionalism.’
