Mike Pence would consider testifying to January 6 Capitol attack panel

Former US vice president says he would give invitation 'due consideration'

Former US vice president Mike Pence on Wednesday said he would consider testifying before the House of Representatives committee investigating the attack on the Capitol on January 6, 2021, if he were invited to do so.

Aides to Mr Pence told the panel in June that former president Donald Trump pressured him to overturn his 2020 election defeat.

Mr Pence has said he believes Mr Trump was wrong to believe the vice president had the power to reverse the outcome of the election, the results of which were being certified by Mr Pence and legislators when the Capitol came under attack.

Mr Trump has repeatedly denied wrongdoing.

Representative Bennie Thompson, chairman of the House select committee to investigate the attack on the US Capitol on January 6, 2021, leads a meeting on Capitol Hill. Bloomberg

Jamie Raskin and Liz Cheney in discussion. The committee has bene set up to investigate what was behind more than 2,000 supporters of Donald Trump storming the Capitol Building in Washington. Bloomberg

The Trump supporters were answering his call to 'fight like hell' to stop Congress from validating Joe Biden’s presidential victory. EPA

Liz Cheney, Bennie Thompson and Jamie Raskin consider a report at a meeting. EPA

Jamie Raskin alongside Elaine Luria. AFP

Zoe Lofgren speaks alongside Adam Schiff at the committee meeting. AFP

Republicans Liz Cheney and Adam Kinzinger were censured by their party for involvement in the committee probe. AFP

Stephanie Grisham, former White House press secretary under former president Donald Trump, leaves after a meeting with the January 6 Committee. Reuters

Roger Stone, a former adviser and confidante to former president Donald Trump, arrives in Washington. AFP

Former White House chief strategist in the Trump administration Steve Bannon surrendered to authorities after being indicted on two counts of contempt of Congress for defying the January 6 Committee. EPA

One of Mr Pence's senior aides has testified to the committee, and his chief of staff at the time, Marc Short, testified before a federal grand jury investigating the attack. The committee, however, has not publicly extended an invitation to Mr Pence.

Speaking at an event in New Hampshire on Wednesday, Mr Pence said he would give any invitation to testify "due consideration".

"Any invitation that would be directed to me, I would have to reflect on the unique role I was serving in as vice president," Mr Pence told people gathered for a 'Politics & Eggs' breakfast at Saint Anselm College.

A January 6 committee representative did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment but members of the committee in June said they were considering whether to compel Mr Pence to testify.

Mr Pence on Wednesday said it "would be unprecedented in history for a vice president to be summoned to testify on Capitol Hill".

The US Senate website shows that Schuyler Colfax voluntarily appeared before a House select committee in January 1873 while vice president to Ulysses S Grant from 1869 to 1873.

At least six current and former presidents have also testified before congressional committees, the website shows.

'There will come a day when Donald Trump is gone, but your dishonour will remain.' Congresswoman and January 6 committee vice chairwoman Liz Cheney to Republican colleagues who have defended Mr Trump's claims of election fraud. AFP

'January 6 was the culmination of an attempted coup - a brazen attempt, as one rioter put it shortly after January 6 - to overthrow the government.' Committee chairman Bennie Thompson. EPA

Mr Trump 'was willing to sacrifice our republic to prolong his presidency. I can imagine no more dishonourable acts by a president.' Republican Congressman Adam Kinzinger. AFP

Donald Trump had this 'arsenal of allegations. I went through them piece by piece to say, no, they were not true'. Former acting deputy attorney general Richard Donoghue. EPA

'There were no votes to find.' Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger after Donald Trump asked him and his deputy, Gabriel Sterling, to 'find 11,780' votes that could flip Georgia in the president's favour. AFP

Competing against Donald Trump’s lies was like a 'shovel trying to empty the ocean'. Gabriel Sterling, Georgia Secretary of State chief operating officer. AFP

'As an American, I was disgusted. It was unpatriotic, it was un-American. We were watching the Capitol building get defaced over a lie.' Cassidy Hutchinson, an aide to then White House chief of staff Mark Meadows, speaking about the insurrection. AFP

'I told him [Donald Trump] that the stuff his people were shovelling out to the public was bull***t.' Former attorney general William Barr. AP

'I respect attorney general Barr. So, I accepted what he was saying.' Ivanka Trump, former White House senior adviser. AP

'We fight like hell. And if you don't fight like hell, you're not going to have a country any more.' Donald Trump on January 6, 2021. Reuters

A Confederate battle flag that reads 'Come and Take It' and shows a military-style rifle flies as rioters storm the Capitol on January 6, 2001. Reuters

A Trump supporter sprays smoke. Reuters

Police attempt to push the mob back. AFP

The pro-Trump mob swarms the Capitol as police release tear gas. Reuters

Protesters clash with police. Reuters

Pro-Trump protesters storm into the US Capitol. Reuters

A police flash-bang blast lights up the Capitol. Reuters

Before the insurrection, Mr Trump is seen on a screen speaking to supporters during a rally to contest the certification of the 2020 US presidential election results. Reuters

People march with those who say they are members of the Proud Boys as they attend a rally in Washington in support of former president Donald Trump. AP