Pence instructed to testify in investigation of election overturning

Former Vice President Mike Pence has been ordered by a federal judge to comply with a grand jury subpoena in relation to a special counsel investigation of ex-President Donald Trump's attempts to overturn his 2020 election loss. Pence had previously vowed to challenge the subpoena, arguing that his role as president of the Senate grants him constitutional protections against testifying about certain legislative activities. However, Judge James Boasberg ruled that Pence does have some limited protections regarding his role on Jan. 6, 2021, when he presided over a joint session of Congress that had convened to confirm President Joe Biden's victory over Trump in the 2020 election. But Pence is not immune from testifying about alleged "illegality" by Trump, Boasberg reportedly ruled. The judge also rejected arguments put forward by Trump's attorneys against the subpoena on the grounds of executive privilege, according to NBC, which cited a source familiar with the sealed ruling. Special counsel Jack Smith is investigating whether Trump or his allies unlawfully interfered with the transfer of power on or before Jan. 6, 2021, when a mob of Trump's supporters, spurred by false claims of widespread election fraud, stormed the U.S. Capitol. Pence is considering a 2024 presidential run that would pit him against Trump in the Republican primary. The ruling on Pence's testimony comes days after a federal judge ordered a number of Trump's former aides to testify before the grand jury hearing evidence in Smith's probe.