Mike Pence testifies in criminal probe of Trump and Capitol riot

Former US Vice-President Mike Pence has testified arsenic portion of a transgression probe into alleged efforts by Donald Trump to overturn his decision successful the 2020 election.

Mr Pence, 63, sat for much than 7 hours earlier a national expansive assemblage successful Washington DC, sources told the BBC'S US spouse CBS News.

He was issued with a subpoena to attest nether oath earlier this year.

The questioning by prosecutors took spot down closed doors.

His quality connected Thursday came conscionable hours aft an appeals tribunal rejected a last-ditch bid by Mr Trump's ineligible squad to halt Mr Pence from testifying.

Mr Pence's lawyers had besides sought unsuccessfully to situation the subpoena, arguing that his relation arsenic president of the Senate during his clip successful bureau meant helium had legislature immunity.

His eventual testimony, which had been sought for months, is simply a large milestone successful the two-year probe which is being led by peculiar counsel Jack Smith, a erstwhile warfare crimes authoritative who was appointed to the relation by Attorney General Merrick Garland.

The probe has been gathering grounds astir whether erstwhile US President Donald Trump and his allies broke national instrumentality successful their efforts to situation the effect of the 2020 election, which was won by President Joe Biden.

It is besides investigating the US Capitol riot connected 6 January 2021, erstwhile Mr Trump's supporters stormed the gathering successful an effort to forestall the predetermination effect from being certified.

Mr Pence, who similar each vice-presidents was besides president of the Senate - a mostly ceremonial relation - could successful mentation person derailed the last certification of the predetermination effect and delayed the transportation of power.

Mr Trump publically pressured his vice-president to bash so, and his refusal led him to lash retired astatine Mr Pence.

Trump supporters past chanted "hang Mike Pence" arsenic they stormed Congress and marauded done the corridors of the Capitol gathering arsenic politicians sheltered inside.

Mr Pence is considered a cardinal witnesser and prosecutors volition apt person asked him astir his interactions with Mr Trump and his squad successful the days and weeks starring up to the riot.

"We'll obey the law, we'll archer the truth," Mr Pence said successful an interrogation with CBS connected Sunday. "The communicative that I've been telling the American radical each crossed the country... that'll beryllium the communicative I archer successful that setting."

Mr Pence has antecedently spoken astir the Capitol riot and the unit to situation the result. "President Trump is wrong. I had nary close to overturn the election," helium said successful a code successful February.

Mr Pence is reportedly considering a statesmanlike bid of his ain successful 2024, which would spot him situation Mr Trump straight for the Republican nomination.

Mr Trump, who has already launched his bid to instrumentality to the White House, was successful New Hampshire connected Thursday for a run event. When asked by NBC News astir Mr Pence's testimony, helium commented: "I don't cognize what helium said, but I person a batch of assurance successful him."

The erstwhile president is facing different ineligible issues, including different national probe led by Mr Smith into the imaginable mishandling of classified documents.

There is besides a abstracted probe successful George into alleged efforts to overturn the 2020 predetermination result.