Former Vice President Mike Pence has been formally added to a list of witnesses asked to testify against his former boss, former President Donald Trump, in the election interference trial in Georgia, it emerged Wednesday.
Pence was among 150 people on a new list submitted by Fulton County prosecutors, according to CNN, citing multiple sources familiar with the documents that remain sealed.
The former vice president, who recently abandoned his bid against Trump in the 2024 election, has previously expressed a willingness to testify and has been the most outspoken former Trump ally in dismissing his claims of election fraud.
“Despite what the former president and his allies have said for more than two and a half years and continue to insist… the Georgia election was not stolen and I have no right to overturn the January 6 election,” Pence said to the National Conference of State Legislatures following Trump’s 13-count impeachment in August.
Pence also told CNN that month: “I have no plans to testify, but look, we will always follow the law.”
He also told CBS News: “We will answer the call of the law if it comes and we will simply tell the truth.”
Trump is accused of violating Georgia laws so he could remain in power despite losing the 2020 presidential election. Getty Images
Trump is accused of violating Georgia’s racketeering law, conspiracy, filing false documents, making false statements and asking a public official to violate his or her oath of office so he could remain in power despite losing the 2020 presidential election.
The 2024 Republican front-runner has pleaded not guilty to all charges.
On Friday, Trump’s lead attorney in the case, Steve Sadow, indicated that he thought the Fulton County District Attorney’s Office might try to call Pence as a witness.
Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee suggested that federal prosecutors turn over notes Pence wrote after the 2020 election. Getty Images
He made the disclosure while pushing for access to documents and materials held by special prosecutor Jack Smith that may be relevant to the state case.
Sadow argued in court that Trump’s federal case is largely “a mirror case” of his Fulton County case and therefore needs a list of evidence from that case.
“There is no doubt that the special counsel’s office … has relevant and material information addressing the allegations in this case,” he said, specifically referencing notes Pence took after the 2020 presidential election.
Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee agreed that there was a “major” overlap between the two cases and said Georgia prosecutors should consider contacting Smith to coordinate discovery.
Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis requested an Aug. 5 trial date for the former president and his other co-defendants. fake images
Meanwhile, District Attorney Fani Willis requested that the trial of the former president and the other co-defendants be held on August 5.
The suggested start is exactly three months before the 2024 presidential election, a period during which Trump, the front-runner in the Republican presidential primaries, would likely be hitting the campaign trail if he were the Republican nominee.
“This proposed trial date balances potential delays to Defendant Trump’s other criminal trials in Sovereign Brothers and the constitutional speedy trial rights of the other defendants,” Willis wrote in a Friday filing before the County Superior Court judge. Fulton, Scott McAfee.
The district attorney noted that Trump is currently scheduled to go on trial on March 4 in Washington in the case of federal interference in the 2022 election, and in Florida on May 20 to face charges of keeping national security documents in his owned by Mar-a-Lago after leaving office. .
“A start date of August 5, 2024 is therefore unlikely to be subject to delays or interference from these other trials,” he added.
Categories: Trending
Source: vtt.edu.vn