Former Vice President Mike Pence reportedly testified Thursday in front of a federal grand jury in Washington, D.C., as part of special counsel Jack Smith's investigation into former President Donald Trump's alleged efforts to prevent Congress' certification of the 2020 election.
Pence's appearance came a day after a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals of the District of Columbia rejected a bid by Trump's attorneys to block Pence's testimony on the grounds of executive privilege.
Pence, who is considering challenging Trump for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, spent about seven hours testifying and answering questions from prosecutors led by Smith, the Department of Justice special counsel, according to The Independent. Smith is investigating whether Trump tried to interfere in Congress' vote to certify the election, over which Pence was presiding, and regarding Trump's handling of classified documents.
Pence's testimony, the first by a former vice president against a president in U.S. history, is only subject to communications with Trump before the events of Jan. 6, 2021, when Congress met to certify the election. Much of what is known about Pence's communications with Trump leading up to that day has come from Pence's memoir, "So Help Me God."
Pence did not testify in front of the House Select Committee investigating the events of Jan. 6.
NBC News reported Pence's appearance came amid increased security at the federal courthouse Thursday. The network reported multiple black SUVs with tinted windows were spotted entering the parking garage at about 9 a.m., an entrance that allows witnesses to head to the grand jury room on the third floor without being seen in the public areas of the courthouse.
When reporters asked Chief Judge James Boasberg, who oversees grand jury proceedings, what was happening, he demurred.
NBC reported a spokesman for special counsel Smith declined to comment.
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