Mike Pence’s handwritten notes reveal President Trump’s final desperate attempt to overturn the 2020 election, calling the Vice President a “wimp” for refusing to abandon his constitutional oath.
Pence’s Constitutional Stand Under Unprecedented Pressure
Former Vice President Mike Pence’s handwritten notes, revealed in Jonathan Karl’s book “Retribution,” document the morning of January 6, 2021, when President Trump made his final push to overturn the election certification. Pence recorded Trump’s exact words during their heated phone conversation, where the President declared “You’ll go down as a wimp” when Pence refused to block Joe Biden’s electoral victory. The Vice President understood his ceremonial role had no legal authority to alter election results, despite Trump’s insistence otherwise.
White House staff members, including Keith Kellogg and Nicholas Luna, witnessed the tense atmosphere surrounding this pivotal conversation. Pence’s notes capture Trump’s accusation that the Vice President was failing to “protect the country” by refusing to intervene in the constitutional process. The documentation provides direct evidence of the pressure campaign that preceded the Capitol events, showing Trump’s mindset and tactics in his final hours as president.
Failed Prosecution Efforts and Political Weaponization
Special Counsel Jack Smith planned to use Pence’s notes as cornerstone evidence in his federal case against Trump for January 6th actions. The notes represented contemporaneous documentation of presidential intent and knowledge, corroborated by multiple witness testimonies from White House staff. However, the case was dismissed following Trump’s 2024 election victory, highlighting how political timing influenced prosecutorial outcomes rather than factual merits.
The Biden administration’s pursuit of criminal charges against Trump using these notes demonstrates the concerning politicization of justice. While Pence’s account provides historical documentation, the selective prosecution efforts raise questions about weaponizing the legal system against political opponents. Trump has since called for accountability regarding investigators who pursued cases that were ultimately dismissed, suggesting potential overreach in the original prosecutorial decisions.
Constitutional Framework Versus Political Pressure
The episode illustrates the tension between political pressure and constitutional limitations during election certification. Pence understood that the Vice President’s role is ceremonial, lacking authority to unilaterally reject electoral votes from states. His refusal to exceed constitutional bounds, despite intense pressure from Trump and supporters, demonstrates adherence to established legal frameworks over political expediency.
The unprecedented nature of this presidential pressure campaign on a Vice President highlights unique circumstances surrounding the 2020 election aftermath. While Trump believed Pence should have intervened to protect election integrity, constitutional scholars note no legal precedent exists for such vice-presidential intervention. The documentation reveals the extraordinary measures considered during this contentious transition period, providing insight into decision-making processes at the highest levels of government.
Sources:
Mike Pence’s Shocking Notes on Donald Trump Jan. 6 Phone Call Revealed – The Daily Beast
‘You’ll be a wimp’: Pence’s published notes were key evidence in case against Trump – ABC News