Federal court rules Trump cannot block Pence from testifying to grand jury investigating Jan. 6: reports

A federal appeals court on Wednesday rejected former President Trump’s effort to block former Vice President Mike Pence from testifying to a grand jury probing the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol, according to reports.

The Washington Post reported that the reasoning behind the new order from a three-judge panel of the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals remains under seal. 

The former president’s legal team earlier this month appealed a judge’s order that Pence answer Justice Department questions about Trump’s role in Jan. 6 and efforts to interrupt the transition of power during the 2020 election.

Pence had initially argued that he was shielded from subpoena by the “speech and debate” clause given his role as then-president of the Senate, but the former vice president’s team later said he wouldn’t appeal the judge’s order, which said Pence wouldn’t have to testify about his role in Congress.

NBC News reports Trump can appeal to the Supreme Court, though he has not said whether he intends to do so.

Pence over the weekend said he’ll “tell the truth” and “obey the law” when he appears, as is expected, before the grand jury.