2020 ELECTION/ELECTORAL COLLEGE/MIKE PENCE: “Over the past several weeks, Trump has become intensely interested in Pence’s ceremonial role during the certification of the Electoral College. He has raised the matter repeatedly with his vice president and has been ‘confused’ as to why Pence can’t overturn the results of the election on January 6, sources told CNN…
Pence and White House aides have tried to explain to him that Pence’s role is more of a formality and he cannot unilaterally reject the Electoral College votes. Pence has walked Trump through his largely procedural role in hopes of downplaying the pressure on him, a strategy that doesn’t appear to have worked given the President explicitly urged him to take action Monday night [Jan. 4, 2020] without saying exactly what he wanted Pence to do…
Trump for weeks has told associates that he does not believe Pence is fighting hard enough for him. That frustration is partly what led Pence’s chief of staff to issue a statement Saturday night saying he welcomed efforts in Congress to raise objections to the Electoral College, though several noted it seemed carefully worded and did not say he supported the objections outright.”
-Kevin Liptak, “Pence faces pressure from Trump to thwart Electoral College vote,” cnn.com, Jan. 5, 2021