# Is it known what Pence did on Jan.6th? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [August 23, 2022, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-known-what-pence-did-on-jan-6th/970136 "2022-08-23T03:21:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2022, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-known-what-pence-did-on-jan-6th/970136/1 "2022-08-23T03:21:01Z")
If so, opinions on this article are welcome. > **[Mike Pence Owes the Country an Explanation](https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2022/08/mike-pence-january-6-committee-military/671163/)** > > The constitutional authority to call out the military is vested in the president of the United States. So what was Pence doing on January 6? ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2022, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-known-what-pence-did-on-jan-6th/970136/2 "2022-08-23T03:28:36Z")
If true, I wonder if the Clause 4 of the 25th Amendment was invoked behind the scenes, ---
**Author:** ![CurtC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ce73a5/32.png) [@CurtC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CurtC)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2022, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-known-what-pence-did-on-jan-6th/970136/3 "2022-08-23T04:28:31Z")
The article is all about the meaning of this: > [@](#): > > According to a taped deposition of General Mark Milley, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Pence “issued very explicit, very direct, unambiguous orders” to him and Secretary of Defense Christopher Miller: “Get the military down here. Get the Guard here. Put down this situation.” It seems the simple explanation is that Pence wasn’t issuing an order as President, but imploring Milley to use his authority to do what needed to be done. Hell, if I had talked to Milley, I would have said the same thing. That doesn’t mean that I thought I was POTUS. ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2022, 5:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-known-what-pence-did-on-jan-6th/970136/4 "2022-08-23T05:04:31Z")
That seems fair. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2022, 5:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-known-what-pence-did-on-jan-6th/970136/5 "2022-08-23T05:24:27Z")
What a load of crap. Nobody thinks there’s anything to be concerned about here. Pence called for the military in a situation that would have resulted in great harm had he or someone else not been successful. Any rational person would have assumed there was some problem preventing the president from calling for the military to put down the insurrection. Pence and the others were entitled to assume they bore the authority of the president based on the his oath to defend the constitution. It would be different if Trump had announced beforehand that he was a traitor and should be expected to act against the interests of the nation as he did that day.