Even though some of the pro-Trump supporters who stormed the Capitol on Jan. 6 chanted that former Vice President Mike Pence should be hanged (even going so far as to erect a gallows for his execution), Pence is defending the insurrectionists who called for his death in a column he wrote for The Daily Signal and saying those who rioted were concerned with “election integrity.”

Pence opens his op-ed by suggesting that the 2020 election was somehow tainted:

“After an election marked by significant voting irregularities and numerous instances of officials setting aside state election law, I share the concerns of millions of Americans about the integrity of the 2020 election.

“That’s why when I was serving as presiding officer at the joint session of Congress certifying the Electoral College results, I pledged to ensure that all objections properly raised under the Electoral Count Act would be given a full hearing before Congress and the American people.

“The tragic events of Jan. 6—the most significant being the loss of life and violence at our nation’s Capitol—also deprived the American people of a substantive discussion in Congress about election integrity in America.”

The former VP also attacked a move in Congress that would help guarantee the right to vote for every eligible American:

“Congress will vote this week on HR 1, the so-called For the People Act, a massive 800-page election overhaul bill that would increase opportunities for election fraud, trample the First Amendment, further erode confidence in our elections, and forever dilute the votes of legally qualified eligible voters.”

Increase opportunities for election fraud? Like limiting access to the polls, cutting back on the number of polling places, and making it as difficult as possible for a person to cast an absentee ballot? Those are the things Republicans have been doing at the state level for decades in an attempt to rig the system in their favor.

Pence also has this infuriating assertion in his absurd op-ed:

“Leftists not only want you powerless at the ballot box, they want to silence and censor anyone who would dare to criticize their unconstitutional power grab.”

Oh please! There is nothing more pernicious and dangerous than trying to keep people from casting a ballot. As usual, another Republican makes it clear that his party can only win when they cheat.

Reaction to Pence’s article was swift and harsh:

Mike Pence is nothing more than a sycophantic toady for Donald Trump. You’d think his brush with death would have taught him something, but he’s just as delusional as ever.

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