Thompson says he wants Pence to speak to Jan. 6 panel voluntarily

The chairman of the House select committee investigating the events around the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol said Tuesday he wanted former Vice President Mike Pence to voluntarily cooperate with the panel.

Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.) told CNN that Pence has not been formally asked for his cooperation, but he said he hoped the former vice president “would do the right thing and come forward and voluntarily talk to the committee.”

“We have not formally asked. But if he offered, we’d gladly accept. Everything is under consideration,” the House committee chairman told the network, which noted Thompson had not ruled out a future request for Pence’s cooperation.

Thompson said the committee is interested in hearing from the former vice president about conversations he was aware of in the days leading up to the Jan. 6 insurrection and what he experienced on that day. 

“We’d like to know what his security detail told him was going on,” Thompson added to CNN.

Nearly a year ago, a mob of supporters of former President Trump tried to stop Congress from certifying the 2020 presidential election results. Pence, lawmakers and others who were at the Capitol that day were forced to evacuate or hide as Trump supporters forced their way inside.

Speaking to Fox News and The Associated Press last month, Pence said he’ll “evaluate any of those requests as they come,” when asked if he would cooperate with the Jan. 6 committee. 

Despite repeated pressure to reject the 2020 presidential election results, Pence said in an interview with Christian Broadcasting Network aired last month that he believed he “did the right thing” in certifying the Electoral College vote.

“In January of 2017, I took an oath to support and defend the constitution of the United States. The Bible says in Psalm 15 that he keeps his oath even when it hurts, and on that day, I could relate to that sentiment, but I wanted to keep my oath to the Constitution. … I know in my heart of hearts that on that day, we did our duty under the Constitution. … I know I did the right thing,” Pence said. 

A spokesperson for the Jan. 6 committee did not have anything to add when reached for comment by The Hill. 

The Hill has reached out to Pence for comment.