Pence Aide Marc Shorts Says ‘I Did Not See’ Much ‘Legitimate Political Discourse’ on Jan. 6

Marc Short, former chief of staff to Vice President Mike Pence, resisted recent description of the Republican National Committee about the ambitious attack on the U.S. Capitol in an interview Sunday morning.

“I don’t see a lot of legitimate political discourse,” Short said on NBC’s Meet the press.

Moderate GOP delegates. Adam Kinzinger and Liz Cheney for participating in the House select committee’s investigation into the January 6 attack on the Capitol, the RNC passed a resolution last week saying the two lawmakers were involved. into “the persecution of ordinary citizens who legally participate in political discourse. ”

Although party leaders are quick to try to clarify the language, emphasizing that they are not implying rioters engage in violence, the criticism itself makes no such distinction.. As The New York Times report, The resolution is “the latest and most powerful effort by the Republican Party to mitigate what happened” on January 6, along with a larger effort by former President Donald Trump to overturn the election results. 2020.

Short, who recently testified before the committee January 6first discussion Pence’s assertive rebuke about Trump’s insistence that the former have the legal authority to refute and change the outcome of Trump’s election defeat.

“Well, Chuck, I think as you mentioned, Vice President Pence made several comments on January 6,” Short told NBC host Chuck Todd. “And he extended those remarks a little bit this week to the Federalist Association, mainly because the president’s remarks about the vice president have the potential to overturn the election, I think, that’s the reaction.” worthy.”

“Of course, there’s nothing in the 12th Amendment or the Voter Count Act that could give the Vice President that power, and that’s why there’s no such thing as a Vice President in 200,” he added. year of using that right. And certainly not one, I think, conservatives or Republicans who want Kamala Harris to have the ability to say she will reject the votes in 2024.”

At the same time, while acknowledging that President Joe Biden was “validly elected” and that Pence was unable to overturn the election results, Pence’s aide showed his lips to Trump supporters’ baseless and false claims about widespread voter fraud.

“I’m not sure all the allegations out there are baseless, Chuck. I’m not confident about it,” Short stated. “But I think practically, again, we are asking what is the constitutional role of the Vice President of the United States? We are governed by the rule of law, not by men. In fact, he followed what the Constitution stipulates for the Vice President in the Voter Count Act. He’s doing his duty under his oath before the Constitution to protect it. “

Recounting the events surrounding the January 6 attacks, Short said that Pence and his staff remained on Capitol Hill the entire time so they could ensure that Congress would complete the confirmation of the count. voters that night.

“They wanted to put the Vice President in a convoy. “But he said, ‘That’s not the picture I want the world to see, of us running away from the Capitol.’ And we stayed there and worked to put the business back together and got the job done that night.”

Reacting to some rioters famously chanted “Mike Pence Cave,” Short said that although it was a “tragic day” and the uprising was a “regrettable stain” on the Trump administration’s four-year record, he felt the press had “stained” it all Trump supporters by associating them with the MAGA violent mob.

“The media wanted to show it as all the thugs in the Capitol that day,” he grumbled.

“Did you see a lot of legitimate political discourse that day?” Todd asked in response, referencing the RNC resolution.

“From my front row, I don’t see a lot of legitimate political speech,” Short replied, adding: “But, Chuck, to your question, you know — me, as we speak. With some members of the RNC, I think there is concern that there are people who have been there peacefully protesting, who have been embroiled in this – what I think is the 6th of January committee being prosecuted. more – and feel like they’re being treated unfairly. ”