Pence praises Jan. 6 rioter for rejecting Trump pardon
Pam Hemphill, a self-described 'Ex-MAGA Granny,' was one of over 1,000 rioters Trump pardoned on the first day of his second term. But Hemphill, who had previously pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor count of demonstrating or picketing in the Capitol, has since changed course, flipping from one of the president's most ardent supporters to his vocal critic, posting relentlessly about Trump's 'J6 lies' and attacking his policies. She officially rejected her pardon this spring, saying that she did not want to be 'part of Trump's narrative that the DOJ is weaponized.'
Hemphill's loud condemnation of the president — and decision to refuse his pardon — appeared to have made its way to Pence, for whom the Jan. 6 attack marked a massive personal turning point as angry mobs of Trump's supporters threatened to hang the then-vice president for certifying the election results confirming Joe Biden as the 2020 election victor.
In a letter dated June 2, Pence expressed 'admiration' for Hemphill's choice to reject her Jan. 6 pardon and reiterated his conviction in his own decision to break with Trump that day in order to ensure the 'peaceful transfer of power' entrusted to him as vice president.
'I am writing to express my admiration for your decision to refuse a presidential pardon and accept responsibility for your actions on January 6th,' Pence wrote. 'January 6th was a tragic day, but I will always believe that I did my duty that day to see the peaceful transfer of power under the Constitution of the United States.'
A staffer for Pence's organization Advancing American Freedom confirmed that the former vice president sent the letter. The staffer was granted anonymity to discuss Pence's private correspondence.
Pence's decision to certify the 2020 election results became a symbol of rare resistance to Trump from within his own party, which carries even more weight under his second term in which some Republicans say they fear retaliation from the president if they speak out against him.
Just on Tuesday, Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.), who has broken with the president on multiple administration policies, including Congress' 'big beautiful bill' and Trump's approach to Iran, invoked Pence's rocky final weeks as Trump's last vice president in a jab at the president.
Replying to a post from current Vice President JD Vance hyping up the 'excitement' of his term, Massie wrote 'Ask Mike Pence about his last month,' seemingly referencing Trump's wrath over Pence's election certification.
The former vice president's letter was well-received by Hemphill, who shared it on X, along with a heartfelt message.
'It's been a long and hard journey, but this letter I received today has made every heartache, smear campaign and sleepless night more than worth it!' Hemphill wrote alongside a photograph of the letter posted to X on Tuesday night.
The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
22 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Trump Takes Victory Lap After Megabill Passes: I Have More Power Now
President Donald Trump is all fired up after Republicans fell in line to pass his megabill. Speaking to reporters at Joint Base Andrews on Thursday, Trump was asked to assess his hold over the GOP now compared to his first term following a marathon session where House Republicans narrowly passed his so-called 'Big, Beautiful' domestic policy bill. 'I think I have more power now,' he said. 'I could say, 'Oh, gee, I don't know.' I think I probably do, because we've had a great record of success.' 'My first term was very, very successful,' he added. 'I think we're going to blow it away this year, but we've proven certain things and, yeah, I think probably it's got more gravitas, more power.' Trump's signature legislation appeared to be in peril early Wednesday night after five Republicans voted against a measure that would advance the bill to a debate. Because of razor-thin margins in the House, the GOP could only afford three 'no' votes, but Reps. Victoria Spartz of Indiana, Andrew Clyde of Georgia, Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania, Keith Self of Texas, and Thomas Massie of Kentucky said 'nay' anyway. Trump and House Speaker Mike Johnson worked the phones overnight to flip the Republican 'no' votes, while Democrats united along party lines to oppose the bill that could see over 11 million Americans lose their healthcare due to steep Medicaid cuts, as well as hike the debt by $3 trillion. The president went on a furious Truth Social posting spree past midnight on Thursday as conservative lawmakers threatened to tank the cornerstone of his domestic agenda. 'What are the Republicans waiting for??? What are you trying to prove??? MAGA IS NOT HAPPY, AND IT'S COSTING YOU VOTES!!!' Trump said in one post. 'FOR REPUBLICANS, THIS SHOULD BE AN EASY YES VOTE. RIDICULOUS!!!' he raged in another. But it was a happy ending for Trump after Johnson delivered the votes to meet the July 4 deadline to pass the measure. 'I think when you go over the bill, it was very easy to get them to a 'yes,'' Trump told reporters of his conversations with lawmakers. 'We went over that bill point after point… We covered just about everything. Again: it's the biggest bill ever signed of its kind.' Trump also sang praises for Johnson and Senate Majority Leader John Thune in a fresh posting spree on Thursday. 'Our Party is UNITED like never before and, our Country is 'HOT,'' he wrote. 'Together, we can do things that were not even imagined possible less than one year ago. We will keep working, and winning — CONGRATULATIONS AMERICA!'
Newsweek
31 minutes ago
- Newsweek
Trump Shares Candid Assessment of Putin Call
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. U.S. President Donald Trump said he was "very disappointed" with his call on Thursday with Russian President Vladimir Putin, and expressed doubt over Moscow's desire to end the war in Ukraine. "I'm very disappointed with the conversation I had today with President Putin, because I don't think he's there. I don't think he's there, and I'm very disappointed," Trump told reporters after a rally in Iowa. "I'm just saying, I don't think he's looking to stop, and that's too bad." Trump, who is trying to broker peace between Russia and Ukraine, described the conflict as "Biden's war" and said he was "stuck in the middle of it". He is due to speak early on Friday morning with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, after the U.S. scrapped a planned shipment of weapons to Ukraine over concerns that domestic stockpiles were too low, a blow to Kyiv. Ukraine is under pressure from Russian advances in the east, and its cities are pounded daily by Russian missiles and drones. Russia has also amassed 50,000 troops near the border with Sumy ahead of what observers fear will be a major offensive. This is a developing article. Updates to follow.
Newsweek
31 minutes ago
- Newsweek
Donald Trump Calls Bankers 'Shylocks'
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. President Donald Trump used a term long viewed as an antisemitic slur when referring to unscrupulous bankers during a speech on Thursday. It came as he was touting the impact of his One Big Beautiful Bill Act, passed by Congress hours earlier, during a rally at the Iowa State Fairgrounds. "No death tax, no estate tax, no going to the banks and borrowing from, in some cases, a fine banker and in some cases, Shylocks and bad people," he said. "They destroyed a lot of families, but we did the opposite." Shylock refers to the villainous Jewish moneylender in Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice, who demands a pound of flesh from a character unable to repay a loan. It has long been considered a slur. Asked about his use of the term on Thursday night, Trump told reporters that he had "never heard that" it could be considered antisemitic. "To me, a Shylock is somebody that's a money lender at high rates," he said. President Donald Trump speaking at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, on Thursday. President Donald Trump speaking at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, on Thursday. Alex Brandon/AP This is a developing news story. Updates to follow.
