Hong Kong Democratic Party Disbands After Member Vote Amid Security Crackdown 
Ukraine Claims First-Ever Underwater Drone Strike on Russian Missile Submarine 
European Leaders Tie Ukraine Territorial Decisions to Strong Security Guarantees 
Supporters Gather Ahead of Verdict in Jimmy Lai’s Landmark Hong Kong National Security Trial 
Sydney Bondi Beach Terror Attack Kills 16, Sparks Gun Law and Security Debate 
Jimmy Lai Convicted Under Hong Kong National Security Law in Landmark Case 
Trump Sues BBC for Defamation Over Edited Capitol Riot Speech Clip 
Special Prosecutor Alleges Yoon Suk Yeol Sought North Korea Provocation to Justify Martial Law 
U.S. and Mexico Reach New Agreement to Tackle Tijuana River Sewage Crisis 
U.S. Offers NATO-Style Security Guarantees to Ukraine as Peace Talks Show Progress 
Belarus Frees Opposition Leaders Maria Kalesnikava and Viktar Babaryka in U.S.-Brokered Deal 
U.S. Suspends UK Technology Deal Amid Trade Disputes Under Trump Administration 
Thousands Protest in Brazil Against Efforts to Reduce Jair Bolsonaro’s Prison Sentence 
Korea Zinc Plans $6.78 Billion U.S. Smelter Investment With Government Partnership 
Russian Drone Attack Hits Turkish Cargo Ship Carrying Sunflower Oil to Egypt, Ukraine Says 
Zelenskiy Signals Willingness to Drop NATO Bid as Ukraine, U.S. Hold Crucial Peace Talks in Berlin 
Thailand Vows Continued Military Action Amid Cambodia Border Clash Despite Trump Ceasefire Claim 
Former Vice President Mike Pence is apparently considering refusing to cooperate with the request of the congressional committee investigating the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection. Pence’s reasons for reluctance are reportedly due to the criminal contempt referrals given to Trump adviser Steve Bannon and chief of staff Mark Meadows.
A report by the New York Times Monday revealed that Pence is becoming more reluctant on whether to cooperate with the congressional committee. Pence is reportedly telling his aides that he may refuse to cooperate with the panel, citing that the bipartisan panel voted to hold Bannon and Meadows in contempt. The former vice president apparently described the move as partisan.
Pence has also reportedly expressed frustration with the number of his former aides voluntarily testifying before the committee. This was something the former president saw as a Democratic-led effort to turn his team against former President Donald Trump. This is despite Pence ultimately becoming a target by the pro-Trump mob during the riots for refusing to overturn the results of the 2020 election to stay in power.
The troves of evidence that the panel has obtained so far have shown the efforts by Trump and his political allies, including those in the Justice Department, to pressure Pence in overturning the 2020 election results. This also includes the infamous coup memo drafted by John Eastman arguing that Pence could send the election results back to the state legislatures that could then overturn the votes.
According to the NYT report, Pence’s testimony could be the key for the committee to make a criminal referral of Trump to the Justice Department. Federal prosecutors are also reportedly looking at the former president’s pressure campaign on Pence when making charges against insurrectionists.
Despite Pence’s supposed reluctance to cooperate with the Jan. 6 committee, the former vice president’s former press secretary Alyssa Farah-Griffin said that Pence would most likely cooperate, but only through a subpoena. Farah-Griffin cited that Pence’s chief of staff, Marc Short, cooperated with the committee when he was subpoenaed.
“If there’s something you should know about Pence world, it’s that they are by-the-book kind of institutionalists by nature,” said Farah-Griffin. “So I think if he were to receive a subpoena, he would absolutely comply. He believes in the oversight role that Congress has on the executive branch. I’m a little more skeptical that he would in a volunteer capacity.”
