Former Vice President Mike Pence said that it was “premature” to discuss whether or not he would pardon former President Trump if he is convicted of charges stemming from alleged handling of classified materials. Trump’s former running mate said in an interview this week that the 37 felony charges against the former president were “serious.”
Pence said that he could not “defend what’s been alleged,” adding that Trump “does deserve to make his defense.”
The former vice president cited his time as Indiana’s governor and that he had pardoned criminals in the past.
“And I take the pardon authority very seriously,” he said, calling it “an enormously important power of someone in an executive position.”
.@ClayTravis and @BuckSexton repeatedly ask @Mike_Pence if he'll commit to pardoning Donald Trump. He won't say.
Interview: https://t.co/oUHvyMn253
Podcast: https://t.co/WvNDsUybBx pic.twitter.com/AZ4NssyqjO— The Clay Travis & Buck Sexton Show (@clayandbuck) June 14, 2023
After not committing to pardoning the president, radio host Clay Travis told the former vice president that he was “dodging the question and frankly, not stepping up.”
Pence said that the former president’s defense had not been announced and that “we either believe in our judicial process in this country, or we don’t.”
Travis interrupted Pence, saying, “What I’m hearing is you’re fine with Donald Trump being put in prison, sir, and that to me, you were his vice president, feels pretty disrespectful.”
“I think any conclusion by anyone running for the presidency of the United States that would pre-judge the facts in this case or pre-judge the investigation into President Biden or his family is premature,” Pence said.
He added that he wanted the judicial process to play out and “follow the facts.”
Fellow 2024 GOP hopeful Vivek Ramaswamy committed to pardoning the former president if elected.
The candidate said that the recent indictment “sets a dangerous precedent in our country.”
Ramaswamy pinned the blame on President Joe Biden.
“No one is above the law: the U.S. President shouldn’t be able to use the federal police to arrest his opponents,” Ramaswamy said.
Furthermore, the candidate argued that “there are now two standards of justice depending on your political viewpoints”
Ramaswamy further called for records surrounding the charges to be made available to the American public.
“Every American deserves to know,” he said.
