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While former President Trump was agitating tooverturn his election defeat, Rep. Greg Pence, R-Ind., the olderbrother of then-Vice President Mike Pence, was spendingmoney at Trump's Washingtonhotel, according to a new filing with the Federal Election Commission. Weeks later, on the day Mike Pence publicly rejected a lawsuit that members of Congress filed against him, the Trump campaign returned a $4,000 donation that hisbrother had made seven months earlier.

According to ayear-end FECreportfiled last weekend, Greg Pence's campaign, which had previously drawn scrutiny forthousands of dollars in apparent personal expenses at Trump's hotel, reported spending $1,551on Dec. 3 for a cateredevent at BLT Prime, theTrump International Hotel's restaurant and a popular hub for conservative allies of the former president. Rep. Steve Scalise of Louisiana, the GOP House whip, reported a $1,000 expense at BLT Prime the same evening, for catering and facility rental.

Earlier that day, members of the House Freedom Caucusheld a press conference to call on then-Attorney General Bill Barr to release the results of a Justice Departmentinvestigation into possible election fraud. Thatconference featured Rep. Louie Gohmert, R-Texas, who later filed a statement insupport of thedoomedSupreme Court election challenge brought by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, which bothPence and Scalisejoined. (Thatsuit was almost immediately rejected.)

A few weeks later, while Greg Pence mulled the decision of whether to object to the electoral votes, his campaign reported that the Trump campaign hadnever cashed a $4,000 contribution thatPence made in May, seven months earlier, according toFEC filings. The donation does not appear on the Trump campaign's receipts.

Pence ultimately joined three other Indiana Republicans to sidewith the former president andchallenge Pennsylvania's votes hours after rioters had huntedhis younger brother through the Capitol. Pence had also objected to Arizona's votes earlier that day.

Pence later issued a statement saying thathis choices"reflect both my support of the Constitution and the disenfranchised voters of the Sixth District," while declaring that "violence and anarchy is never the answer."

"I took an oath to support and defend the Constitution on behalf of Hoosiers in the Sixth District. The United States is a country of law and order," Pence said in the statement. "There are millions of American voters in our nation who currently feel disenfranchised, but violence and anarchy is never the answer. The way forward for our nation is to follow the U.S. Constitution."

That positiondiverged fromIndiana's two Republican senators,Todd Young and MikeBraun.The latter had originally planned to challenge the electoral count but reversed that decisionafter the insurrection, sayingin a statement on Twitter that the day's violencehad "changed things drastically."

"Though I will continue to push for a thorough investigation into the election irregularities many Hoosiers are concerned with as my objection was intended, I have withdrawn that objection and will vote to get this ugly day behind us," Braun wrote.

It is unclear why Pence did not reverse his original decisionamid widespread reports that the Capitol riotershad specifically targeted his brother for execution, afterTrump's dissatisfactionwith his vice president became widely known.

The Pence family as a whole haschanneled a significantamount of money to the Trumps over the last four years. Between November 2017and early 2019, Greg Pence, who won his brother's formerseat in 2018, made headlines for substantial and frequent expendituresat Trump's Washingtonhotel. Thosepayments, totaling $45,000,includedthousands of dollars in donor funds for personal lodging, an unlawful expense which his campaign later reclassifiedasfundraising events after USA Today exposed the apparent violations.

A Pence spokesperson saidat the timethat the campaign had only made the changes "in order to avoid confusion here from hostile reporters."

Greg Pence did not reply to Salon's request for comment. Mike Pence could not be immediately reached for comment.

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While Trump pressured Mike Pence, his brother Greg was spending money at Trump's hotel again - Salon

After coming out to the American people as un-reelected, Mike Pence was abruptly turned out of his Washington home.

Its not like it was a choice, sobbed Pence, swiping at his eyes. You think I want to be someone who loses an election? Its just who I am! I cant believe they would turn their back on me like this! How can people be so cruel, kicking someone out of their home and job, just because of who they are?!

Without a place to live, Pence and his wife have been roaming the streets of Washington, despondently searching for someone to take them in.

Im sorry, said Jillian Pinkerton, a Washington homeowner. But I just cant let people like that into my good, Christian home. Marriage should be between two consenting adults who love each other, not some repressed weirdo and a woman he calls mother. God said Adam and Spouse, not Mike Pence in my house.

I mean I feel bad for them or whatever, but I just dont want them staying at my place, said Tucker Marks, a local conservative bachelor. I only have one bathroom in this apartment and obviously I need to use it. That bathroom is a mens bathroom. If Karen peed in there it would be gender neutral. And then wed all be going straight to Hell. Is that what you want?

Many Washingtonians witnessed the Pences going door to door to ask for shelter. Both of them were reportedly weeping and carrying a bindle made from the old Oval Office drapes and a big stick.

Look, I get that he didnt choose to lose the election, but does he have to be so open about it? said Kimberly Thomas. Dont get me wrong, I dont hate people who lose elections, but watching it grosses me out. I like lots of election losers. My cousin lost an election once in college! But she had the decency to do that in the privacy of her own home. Why cant the Pences just be more subtle about it?

For now, the Pences are sheltering inside a fort made of tattered Trump flags and discarded MAGA hats. Reportedly, the fort has not been particularly effective at keeping out the elements, but has come in handy every time a rainbow has appeared in the sky, allowing Mike Pence to cower inside to avoid bursting into a ball of flames and fliers advertising for conversion therapy.

Editors Note: This article is purely satirical and fictitious. All attributions in this article are not genuine, and this story should be read in the context of pure entertainment only.

Contact Sarah Lewis at sarahelewis956 at gmail.com

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Mike Pence forced to wander the streets of Washington after coming out as un-reelected - The Stanford Daily

CNNsJake Tapperpredicted that the stunning video montage House Democrats provided duringDonald Trumpssecond impeachment trial would do little to sway Republicans.

Tapper was unconvinced when colleague Dana Bash predicted that Republicans would be impacted by the video evidence, going as far as to question if Republicans would even abandon their support for Trump if violent rioters had reached Mike Pence.

Tapper referenced Sen.Mitch McConnells (R-KY) condemnation of the day, noting that both he and Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) admitted that Trump had some responsibility to bear for the Capitol attack.

Even with that, with dead people, I have to wonder what if the crowd had actually gotten to Mike Pence. What if this had gotten even worse? Tapper asked Bash and Abby Phillip.

Five people killed that day, dozens more maimed from injuries, wounds theyre going to have forever. Three fingers lost, an eye lost, brain damage. What if a member of congress or Vice President Pence, God forbid, had been killed? I honestly dont think that anything would different on the floor of the Senate.

Phillip agreed with Tapper, noting that Republican lawmakers do not seem to be grappling with what happened, and are instead fixated on the idea of reaching unity.

Watch above, via CNN.

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Jake Tapper: Trial Would Be the Same if Mike Pence Was Killed - Mediaite

DARLENE SUPERVILLE,Associated Press

Feb. 3, 2021Updated: Feb. 3, 2021 1:35p.m.

WASHINGTON (AP) Former Vice President Mike Pence has opened a transition office in northern Virginia.

Pence announced Wednesday that the Office of the Former Vice President will handle correspondence, scheduling requests, public statements and official activities for him and his wife, Karen. The office is located in Arlington, across the Potomac River from Washington.

The Pences are also living in northern Virginia. A spokesperson said they have summer plans to move back to Indiana, where Mike Pence was governor and represented the state in the U.S. House. In 2016, GOP presidential candidate Donald Trump chose Pence to be his vice presidential running mate, and the ticket was elected in 2016.

Trump and Pence lost their bid for reelection to Democrats Joe Biden and Kamala Harris.

The vice president and Mrs. Pence look forward to continuing to elevate causes that are near and dear to their hearts and serving the American people when called upon, said their spokesperson, Kara Brooks.

Under federal law, the outgoing president and vice president are provided a transition office and other services for six months for the purpose of wrapping up their official business.

Trump moved into his Mar-a-Lago estate in his new home state of Florida on Jan. 20, when his term ended. He recently opened his transition office.

Written By

DARLENE SUPERVILLE

Excerpt from:
Former VP Pence opens transition office in Virginia - Chron

Any person of integrity who works in or around politics and government, becomes immediately aware of an inherent tension. This tension is between what they think is right, and what their job requires of them. This tension will inevitably occur repeatedly throughout a life in politics, and a prudent practitioner knows their battles must be picked carefully, as a failure to pick the right battles will earn you a quick exit from any position of influence. This is true from high-level Cabinet officials down to the lowest congressional staffer.

Nobody is more aware of this fact than former Vice President Mike Pence.

As the Trump era ends, I think it important to discuss the position Pence was in, and the wider issue that many Trump appointees faced.

I believe Pences letter of January 6 in which he declared that he did not have the authority to unilaterally reject the electoral votes of any state (and, according to the Donald Trumps bizarre and unsupportable theory, handing him the election in spite of a clear loss), will eventually earn him a place in history as a dignified statesman and a patriot. Trumps self-serving interpretation of the Constitution was a threat to the very foundation of our republic and had Pence went along with this charade, the damage to America would have been incalculable. But he didnt.

In this way, he performed what I consider the ultimate realization of something Ive been calling, if you can indulge me in a Harry Potter analogy, the Snape Option.

Severus Snape, for those unfamiliar with the series, was a mercurial figure who spent years in service of the storys main villain, the evil wizard Voldemort. Ultimately, it was revealed that, while he started out sympathizing with Voldemort, he quickly became disillusioned. Yet, he stayed on as one of Voldemorts followers for years. He did this to gain influence and minimize the damage that Voldemort could do to the storys main hero, Harry Potter, and to Potters compatriots. He was ultimately successful in protecting Potter and most of his friends, but it cost him his life.

I am a lifelong Republican who believed Trump to be a danger, both to my party and my country, and quite vocally refused to support him, twice. But nonetheless, for years, Ive been encouraging friends to execute the Snape Option, i.e., if you feel so called, accept a job in the Trump administration in order to make the best of a difficult situation.

But back to Pence for now. With the exception of a handful of Trump dead-enders, who still gauge things only in relation to whether it comports with the former presidents wishes, Pences rejection of Trumps unconstitutional demand has received wide bipartisan support. However, as Ive shared the opinion that Pences actions deserve not just backing, but significant praise, Ive been rebuffed by many on the left and the anti-Trump right, who claim his actions are too little too late, often listing myriad real and imagined grievances.

They view his good actions as piddling, insincere, or, at minimum, insufficient to make up for past sins, up to and including accepting the vice presidential nomination in the first place.

On some level, I am sympathetic. I believe the insurrection of January 6, which threatened Pences life, completely vindicated my Trump-skepticism. Some erstwhile Trump supporters agree with me. Further still, there were many instances in the last four years where Pence took actions I considered insincere and repelling.

Yet, I cannot help but ask the question, And then what? Pence could have told the truth as his critics might say it, many times during the administration. But to what end?Hed have become an irrelevant in the administration, and been unable to meaningfully influence much of anything.

As such, I cannot help but think that Pences harsher critics demonstrate a lack of appreciation of what it really means to act with integrity when it comes to accepting virtually any supporting role in politics. The Trump administration, more than most, has forced its subordinates to confront this issue.

When making the decision to accept any such position, nobodys motives are pure. Anyone who is in a position to be offered a job in politics will have self-interested reasons, (career, ego, etc.) to accept. Most probably have legitimate grievances with the other side, as well. Yet at the same time, particularly with a situation Republicans faced with Trump, the motivation to get the best possible outcome in a bad situation cannot be ignored. There was openly this kind of talk when Trump got the Republican nomination in 2016, and most discussing these kinds of things saw Pence as an adult in the room that could be trusted to fight against Trumps worst impulses.

Indeed, this larger dilemma was publicly shared by men like John Bolton, who saw his record as Trumps national security adviser: (M)ore a record of damage control, than of accomplishment. Boltons view was shared privately by hundreds of other political appointees whose names would mean nothing to the public, but who make up a lot of the people you might meet at church on Sunday in Washington.

There is no way to deny that taking any such role requires compromises. Some of which the individual may not wish to make.

Yet at the same time, Boltons statement points at another question: Who else would have filled these roles? Making what I would consider a safe assumption, that they would have been filled with individuals of less thoughtfulness and integrity, it is worth asking: How much worse would the last four years have been for the country if people like Pence or Bolton hadnt served?

There are no easy answers to these questions, and I would suggest, ultimately, one persons answer to these is not decisive in evaluating their actions. What is decisive is how they act when it matters most.

Much like Snape, many of Pences actions seemed repugnant. Famed columnist George Will said that Pence had a talent for toadyism and mocked him as the worst person in government. I think its hard to deny that Pence undoubtedly was required to say things he did not believe, and act in ways he would rather have not, in service of the Trump administration.

Yet we must ask: What would have been gained by substituting a lesser man for Pence? One thing is certain: Pence faced enormous political, personal, and ultimately even physical pressure to violate his oath to the Constitution and reject the electoral votes of states Biden won. Complaining that these efforts would have ultimately proven futile is irrelevant. The public damage to the Constitution and our entire system would have been done.

Pence revealed his true colors on January 6. After four years of suffering indignity after indignity, making compromise after compromise, he chose the moment when it mattered most to make a stand for the Constitution and his country, what he has always maintained where his highest values, apart from God. He did this to his own political detriment, undoubtedly mortally wounding himself with Trumps hardcore fans.

Moreover, as we turn the page on the Trump administration, and you come across someone who served in the Trump administration, criticize their decision to take a job if you must, or the compromises they made if you feel so qualified, but keep in mind the tensions they operated under. There are many who served and executed the Snape option in ways big and small.

In my view, they are unsung heroes.

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Mike Pence and the 'Snape Option' - The Dispatch