Former Vice President Mike Pence doesn’t believe that Trump should be disqualified from the 2024 presidential race, despite the four indictments he currently faces. On Sunday morning, Pence told Jonathan Karl of “This Week” that Trump should be allowed to run for office — even if he’s a convicted felon.
Karl recalled that in 2002, Pence voted to expel former Rep. James Traficant from Congress after he was convicted of a felony. He then asked Pence if the same rule should apply to Trump, who faces 91 felony counts.
Pence acknowledged the “outrageous” nature of the Traficant case, but declined to apply the same logic to Trump. As he put it, “But if you’re saying would I – would I apply that to my former running mate in this race, look, I think that needs to be left to the American people.”
He added, “Look, let’s – let’s – let’s let — have — the former president have his day in court. Let’s maintain a presumption of innocence in this matter and in the other matter that unfolded this week here in Georgia.”
Pence has repeatedly shied away from speaking out against Trump in the wake of the latter’s legal concerns. Earlier this month, Pence conceded a point to CNN’s Dana Bash: that despite Trump’s claims otherwise, Pence did not have the authority to overturn the 2020 election results in Georgia.
There is plenty of interest in and speculation about whether Pence will end up testifying against Trump in any or all of the cases against the former president. Ahead of Trump’s third indictment in early August, “The View” co-host Sunny Hostin told viewers she believes Pence will worry “he’s going to go to hell” if he lies to protect Trump.
“Four counts, pretty strong counts,” Hostin began. “Two of the counts I think are the strongest ones because they involve Mike Pence. And we know Mike Pence is going to testify, and he’s not going to lie.”
She concluded, “He’ll feel like he’s going to go to hell if he lies, he’s evangelical. Right? So he’s not going to lie, he’s going to take that very seriously.”
