Rep. Aguilar: I would now like
to turn to the events of January
6, 2021.
Which turned out to be a fateful
day in our nations history.
Despite the fact that the vice
president consistently told the
president that he did not have
and would not want the power to
decide the outcome of the
presidential election, Donald
Trump continued to pressure the
vice president both publicly and
privately.
As you will hear, things reached
a boiling point on January 6,
and the consequences were
disastrous.
In the middle of the night, on
January 5, into the morning of
the sixth, around 1:00 A.M.,
president trump tweeted at the
vice president, meaning the
comments in response to the
president's tweet would also
show up on the vice president's
Twitter feed.
The tweet stated that the vice
president could "Come through
for us" and "Send it back to the
states."
Then around 8:00 A.M. On January
6, president trump again
tweeted.
This time to say that the vice
president could send it back to
the states and "We win."
And that this is the time for
extreme courage.
Mr. Short told us during his
deposition that the vice
president started a meeting on
January 6 in prayer.
Here is what Mr. Short said.
Mr. Short: Arrived at the vice
president's residence.
As would often be the case, I
would call, knowing it would be
an important day.
We gathered in prayer.
Often, that would be something
the staff member would lead, so
it would just be at that time,
believe, the vice president,
myself, Greg, and Chris.
And we would have just asked for
guidance and wisdom, knowing the
day would be a challenging one.
Rep. Aguilar: Mr. Jacob, did you
go to the vice president's
residences on the morning of
January 6?
Mr. Jacob: Yes.
Rep. Aguilar: Who else was with
you?
Mr. Jacob: Marc short, Devin
O'Malley, our communications
director, and Chris Hodgson, our
legislative affairs director.
Rep. Aguilar:
Rep. Aguilar: The vice president
have a call from the president
that morning?
>> He did.
We were in the process of
proving it.
We were told a call had come in
from the president.
The vice president stepped out
of the room to take that call
and no staff went with him.
Rep. Aguilar: The president had
several family members with him
in the oval that morning.
I would like to show you what
they and others told the select
committee about that call, along
with never before seen
photographs of the president on
that call from the national
archives.
>> When I got in, somebody
called me and said the family
were in the oval.
And do I want to come up.
So I went upstairs.
>> Who do you recall being in
the oval office?
>> Don Jr., Eric, Kimberly, and
at some point ivanka came.
>> It was not a formal
discussion, it was very loose
and casual.
>> You said at some point there
was a telephone conversation
between the president and vice
president, is that correct?
>> Yes.
>> When I entered the office the
second time, he was on the
telephone with the vice
president.
>> Could you hear the vice
president?
>> I could only hear the
president's end.
It was a calmer tone, then
became heated.
>> The conversation was pretty
heated.
>> I think it became louder.
I do not think anybody was
paying attention to it.
>> Did you hear any part of the
phone call, even just the end
that the president was speaking
from?
>> Yes.
As I was dropping off the note,
I remember hearing the word "
wimp."
I remember he said, you are a
wimp.
>> Has also been reported the
president said to the vice
president something to the
effect you do not have the
courage to make the decision.
>> I do not remember exactly.
>> It was a different tone than
I had heard him take with the
vice president before.
>> Did Mr. Trump share with you
details about what happened, or
any details about what happened
in the oval office that morning?
>> That her dad had had an
upsetting conversation with the
vice president.
>> Do you recall anything about
her demeanor during the meeting
or the encounter?
>> I do not remember
specifically.
I do not think -- I think she
was uncomfortable about the
interaction between the two of
them.
>> What about the wording, I
made the word -- wrong decision
years ago.
>> The word -- I apologize for
being impolite, but do you
remember what she said her
father called him?
>> The "P" word.
Rep. Aguilar: How would you
describe the demeanor of the
vice president following that
call with the president?
Mr. Jacob: When he came back
into the room, I would say he
was steely, determined, grim.
Rep. Aguilar: Of course, the
most dangerous part of what
Donald Trump did on January 6
was what he did himself, as will
be discussed in detail our
investigation found that early
drafts of the January 6 speech
prepared for the president
included no mention of the vice
president, but the president
revised it and then further
This is what the president said
on January 6 after his call with
vice president pence.
Mr. Trump: I hope Mike is going
to do the right thing, because
if Mike pence does the right
thing, we win the election.
All vice president pence has to
do is send it back to the states
to recertify and we become
president, and you are the
happiest people.
And I actually, I just spoke to
Mike and that does not
take courage, what takes courage
is to do nothing.
That takes courage.
Then we are stuck with a
president who lost the election
by a lock and we have to live
with that for four more years.
We are not going to let that
happen.
Mike pence will have to come
through for us.
And if he doesn't, that will be
a sad day for our country.
And they want to recertify the
votes.
But the only way that can happen
is if Mike pence agrees to send
it back.
So, I hope Mike has the courage
to do what he has to do.
And I hope he does not listen to
the rhinos or stupid people he
is listening to.
Rep. Aguilar: Of course, we know
what happened next.
The president's words had an
effect.
President trump's supporters
became angry.
When the vice president issued
his public letter, the crowd at
the capitol building erupted in
anger and rioters began
chanting, "Hang Mike pence."
Testimony in our investigation