Seven senators are calling on the Ethics Committee to investigate a phone conversation between Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.) and former President Donald Trump.
MSNBC’s Andrea Mitchell asked Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) if the Ethics Committee is launching an investigation into the matter or something he thinks should happen.
“They’ve been asked to. The letter has been received. Seven senators signed that letter and as best I can tell they’re in the initial process of reviewing whether to open the matter and go forward with a full and formal investigation,” Whitehouse said.
Watch his response below:
Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) says seven senators have signed a letter urging the Ethics Committee to investigate Sen. Tommy Tuberville’s (R-AL) January 6th phone call, in which he told then-President Trump about VP Pence’s evacuation from the Capitol. pic.twitter.com/nilkQrplt8
— The Recount (@therecount) February 11, 2021
Tuberville spoke with Trump while former Vice President Mike Pence was being evacuated during the riots at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, as IJR reported.
“I said, ‘Mr. President, they just took the vice president out, I’ve got to go,'” Tuberville told reporters.
On the same day, Trump tweeted, “Mike Pence didn’t have the courage to do what should have been done to protect our Country and our Constitution, giving States a chance to certify a corrected set of facts, not the fraudulent or inaccurate ones which they were asked to previously certify. USA demands the truth!”
On Wednesday, senators were shown a video of the rioters flooding the halls of the Capitol yelling “Hang Mike Pence!” as IJR reported.
Pence is seen being led to safety. On Jan. 6, Pence also wrote a letter to Congress saying he does not have “unilateral authority” to reject Electoral College votes.
He added, “Some believe that as Vice President, I should be able to accept or reject electoral votes unilaterally. Others believe that electoral votes should never be challenged in a Joint Session of Congress. After a careful study of our Constitution, our laws, and our history, I believe neither view is correct.”
Pence later attended President Joe Biden’s inauguration and applauded Vice President Kamala Harris.