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.
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