Mike Pence Subpoenaed and Investigated for Possession of Classified Documents
Former Vice President Mike Pence has been subpoenaed by the special counsel appointed by Attorney General Merrick Garland in November to investigate the criminal probes into former President Donald Trump’s anti-election scheme and his mishandling of classified documents after leaving office.[0] The search is related to the Jan. 6 investigation.[1]
Marc Short, the former chief of staff to Pence, told CNN’s Jake Tapper that the FBI was expected to search the ex-vice-president's house for any additional documents “not too far off into the future.”[2] A police vehicle was seen outside of Pence’s suburban Indianapolis home on Friday.[3]
The search is part of a wider investigation into both documents and testimony related to the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol, as well as Trump's possible mishandling of classified documents after leaving office. After news broke that confidential documents from Joe Biden's time as Vice President were discovered at the Penn Biden Center in Washington, DC and his home in Wilmington, Delaware, Mike Pence's team uncovered the papers.[2] The search follows the voluntary search of President Joe Biden’s former office in November; his home in Wilmington, Delaware, in December; his Rehoboth Beach house; and the seizure of more than 100 classified documents at former President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate during the execution of a search warrant in August.[4]
Pence has previously acknowledged that “mistakes were made” as he took responsibility for classified documents ending up in his home and pledged to would “fully cooperate” with any FBI investigation.[5] He stated that the discovered documents were promptly secured and the National Archives was alerted.[5]
Vice President Pence is currently on the West Coast with his family as his daughter recently welcomed a new baby, according to a spokesperson.[6] A private attorney for Pence is at the Indiana house while the search is underway.[6] No comment was provided by a spokesperson for Pence in response to a request.[7]
According to a source who spoke to CNN, the Pence team does not think there are any classified documents present at either his home or office, as they have conducted an exhaustive search of their own.[6] The Pence team expressed that they wanted to completely cooperate with the Justice Department.[6]
The search is to check that nothing was missed, the sources indicated.[8] Meanwhile, former national security adviser Robert O’Brien has also been subpoenaed in the investigation.[9]
0. “What the subpoena of former Vice President Mike Pence by the special counsel investigating Trump could mean” CBS News, 10 Feb. 2023, https://www.cbsnews.com/video/how-significant-is-the-subpoena-for-former-vice-president-mike-pence/
1. “Pence subpoenaed by special counsel investigating Trump's role in Jan. 6” NBC News, 9 Feb. 2023, https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/justice-department/pence-subpoenaed-special-counsel-leading-trump-investigations-rcna70031
2. “Mike Pence given subpoena to testify in criminal probe of Trump” BBC, 10 Feb. 2023, https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-64591939
3. “FBI arrives at Pence's home for classified materials search” POLITICO, 10 Feb. 2023, https://www.politico.com/news/2023/02/10/fbi-arrives-at-pences-home-for-classified-materials-search-00082297
4. “FBI searches former VP Mike Pence's Indiana home for classified documents” USA TODAY, 10 Feb. 2023, https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2023/02/10/mike-pence-fbi-search-classified-records/11197046002
5. “FBI conducting search of former Vice President Mike Pence's home” CNN, 10 Feb. 2023, https://www.cnn.com/2023/02/10/politics/mike-pence-house-fbi-search/index.html
6. “FBI conducting search of former Vice President Mike Pence Indiana home” WPVI-TV, 10 Feb. 2023, https://6abc.com/mike-pence-indiana-home-news-house-vice-president/12796227
7. “FBI searches Pence's Indiana home for additional classified documents” Axios, 10 Feb. 2023, https://www.axios.com/2023/02/10/pence-fbi-search-classified-documents
8. “FBI searches Mike Pence Indiana home amid classified document investigation” Fox News, 10 Feb. 2023, https://www.foxnews.com/politics/fbi-searches-mike-pence-indiana-home-classified-document-investigation
9. “Trump news – live: Trump silent on special counsel subpoenas for Pence and ex-security adviser” The Independent, 10 Feb. 2023, https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/donald-trump-facebook-mike-pence-subpoenaed-b2279710.html
