The title of his upcoming book, So Help Me God, comes from the oath he has taken many times while in public office. As the Jan. 6 Committee winds up its investigation, the question of whether or not Vice President-elect Mike Pence will testify about the events surrounding the insurrection is still open. According to a report, negotiations about the possibility were still going on in mid-September, with the vice-chair of the committee, Liz Cheney, still hoping to see him. It is important that the panel hear from the Vice President, according to Rep. Pete Aguilar, who is on the committee.
He took a cautious stance when he was asked if he would testify at the New Hampshire Institute of Politics. He said that he would have to think about his role as vice president. It would be the first time in history that a vice president would be called to testify.
The Senate Historical Office, Senate Library, and presidential historians and biographers all say that it wouldn't be unusual for him to show up. The American public has been enlightened about both minor and significant issues by the holders of the highest offices. Ronald Rotunda wrote, "History shows that assuming the role of a witness is not degrading or unprecedented for a President or former President..."
The final report of the committee's plans in Flux.
The first Veep to testify in a congressional hearing was a sitting vice president, who was also an Indiana congressman. One of the biggest political corruption scandals of the 19th century took place in January of 1872 and involved the first vice president of the United States.
The New York Sun reported that government officials took cash and stock payments from a fake construction company in exchange for crafting policies favorable to the Union Pacific Railroad. Grant's campaign for re- election was marred by sensational newspaper stories that implicated Grant's outgoing vice president, as well as several members of Congress.
The Speaker of the House denied the allegations in 1873. His defense was shaky and new revelations brought weak explanations. He tried to clear his name by testifying before the committee four times.
James A. Garfield was a fellow member of the House who was under suspicion and gave testimony before he became president. He wrote that he had never seen a public proceeding like this one. It is possible that justice and decorum will eventually prevail.
He never held public office again because of the damage he did to his reputation. He died on the way to a speaking engagement after walking nearly a mile in the cold to the train depot.
There is a Republican congressman on where the committee goes next.
In December of 1942, Henry A. Wallace testified before the Senate Committee on Banking and Commerce about his role as chairman of the entity responsible for the procurement and production of exported materials. The New York Times reported that the testimony was related to the disagreement between Secretary of Commerce Jesse Jones and the Reconstruction Finance Corporation. Roosevelt dissolved the agency after the session ended without taking action on the bill.
Wallace continued to testify after he left office. He appeared before the Senate armed services committee in March of 1948 to oppose universal military training for all draft eligible males. In the presidential election of that year, he received less than 3% of the vote, even though he downplayed the threat of Communism.
The only sitting or former VPs who have testified before Congress are Colfax and Wallace, according to the Senate Historical Office. Several presidents have been in that position. Lincoln was the first president to testify.
Lincoln had personal reasons to clear his calendar so he could go to the Capitol. Lincoln met with members of the House Judiciary Committee to testify about the leak. The president agreed to meet with members of the Judiciary Committee in private because he wanted to clear his wife's name. The New York Tribune reported that President Lincoln testified before the House Judiciary Committee in regards to the Herald of a portion of his last annual message.
The investigation ended after Lincoln testified that Watt was the culprit.
Wilson was invited by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee to testify about the peace treaty with Germany and the League of Nations. The committee wanted his testimony to be made public and the president agreed with them. He said that he would have a stenographer present to record what was said. The letter concluded, "It will be most agreeable to me to have an opportunity to tell the committee anything that may be useful to them."
Cary Grayson, Wilson's close aide and White House physician, wrote a letter to his wife after attending the session. The president handled himself well despite showing that he was nervous.
They went after him with a lot of prepared questions, but he simply had too much brain for them.
The United States never joined the League of Nations despite the Senate rejecting the Treaty of Versailles twice.
Gerald Ford testified before the House subcommittee on Criminal Justice about his pardon of Richard Nixon. It's believed to be the first formal, publicly broadcast, on-the-record appearance by a president.
Ford said in his opening statement that his appearance at the hearing of the House Committee on the Judiciary has been looked upon as an unusual historic event. I'm here to report on history.
Ford assured Congress and the millions who were watching on television that there was no deal for a pardon and that his reason for the pardon was because of the urgent needs of a rising nation.
Stephen W. Stathis was an analyst with the Congressional Research Service and wrote an article for the Presidential Studies Quarterly. They were willing to fashion in continued service to their country a significant role never contemplated by the founding fathers.
Liz Cheney is the vice chair of the committee. In an interview with ABC News, Cheney said that he believes in executive privilege and that everyone has an obligation to step forward.
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