WASHINGTON — The violent mob that stormed the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, came dangerously close to then-Vice President Mike Pence, posing an immediate threat to his life, according to testimony from Thursday's hearing on the insurrection.
"Approximately 40 feet. That's all there was, 40 feet between the vice president and the mob," said Rep. Pete Aguilar, D-Redlands. "Make no mistake about the fact that the vice president's life was in danger."
Video footage from the Jan. 6 insurrection displayed during the hearing showed the mob chanting "Hang Mike Pence," as they stormed the Capitol. Another rioter yelled into a camera, "You f—ing politicians are gonna get dragged through the streets."
Meanwhile, Pence's counsel Greg Jacob, who was with the vice president inside the Capitol on Jan. 6, argued with conservative attorney John Eastman by email during the riot over who was to blame for the violence, according to excerpts presented by the committee. For many days leading up to the violence, Eastman pressured Pence and his team not to certify the results of the 2020 presidential election.
"Thanks to your bulls— , we are now under siege," stated an email that Jacob sent to Eastman at 12:14 p.m. on Jan. 6.
After the attack on the Capitol, Eastman sent an email to Jacob, requesting again that Pence delay certification of the election.
"I implore you to consider one more relatively minor violation and adjourn for 10 days, to allow for (state) legislatures to finish their investigations as well as to allow a full forensic audit of the massive amount of illegal activity that has occurred here," the email stated.
Eastman later said in a separate email said that he "should be on the pardon list, if that is still in the works" with former President Donald Trump.
