LIVE: Follow along with the Jan. 6 committee for its third day of hearings, #2

For the third time this month, the Jan. 6 committee meets to unveil evidence that its investigators argue exposes the tender underbelly of a plot by former President Donald Trump to overturn the results of the 2020 election.

On Thursday, June 16, the select committee will focus on how this scheme specifically targeted former Vice President Mike Pence and how longtime conservative attorney John Eastman helped the 45th president advance this agenda by promoting unconstitutional legal theories as the nation barreled toward a deadly insurrection at the U.S. Capitol that left multiple people dead and hundreds injured.

Check out this reporter’s preview for today’s hearing at the related link below. And for coverage of the first two hearings, check below the link to today’s livestream.

RELATED STORY: Jan. 6 committee puts Pence pressure campaign in focus for upcoming hearing

Today’s hearing starts at 1 PM ET. Two additional hearings are still on the schedule: June 21 and June 23. Both should air at 1 PM ET. As of Thursday morning, the committee had not yet announced if/when it would add a sixth hearing to the schedule as originally planned following a postponement last week. Times are subject to change.

RELATED STORY: The Jan. 6 committee is just getting started

RELATED STORY: Day of damning evidence from Jan. 6 committee as they pathway to possible prosecution for Trump

RELATED STORY: The BIG Guide: Who’s who in the Jan. 6 committee’s investigation

Thursday, Jun 16, 2022 · 6:33:49 PM +00:00 · Brandi Buchman

The hearing has now stretched for nearly 2 hours as members of former Vice President’s office described the dogged fight between themselves and Trump’s attorney John Eastman as Eastman pursued a legal strategy that many witnesses testified he knew was unviable. 

Thursday, Jun 16, 2022 · 6:38:33 PM +00:00 · Brandi Buchman

Witness Greg Jacob goes into the meeting on Jan. 4 and Jan. 5 with the Pence legal team. Details in this thread:

Jacob: At the end of the meeting on Jan. 4th, Trump asked Pence's office to meet w/Eastman the next day about Eastman's strategy.
So they met in Marc Short's office at exec office building. They started at 11am and spoke for 1.5-2hours. Short was at the mtg for most of it

— Brandi Buchman (@Brandi_Buchman) June 16, 2022

What surprised Jacob was when Eastman came in, he said, I'm here to request that you reject the electors.
On the 4th that had been the path he had NOT recommended Trump take and then on the 5th expressly requested it.

— Brandi Buchman (@Brandi_Buchman) June 16, 2022

Thursday, Jun 16, 2022 · 6:45:36 PM +00:00 · Brandi Buchman

The committee is taking a brief recess now and when they get back, the panel says it will dive into the danger that was posed to Pence and how chief of staff Marc Short was so alarmed he felt the need to alert Secret Service.

Thursday, Jun 16, 2022 · 6:54:09 PM +00:00 · Brandi Buchman

A key piece of testimony today from Jacob was his recounting of a meeting with Eastman 24 hours before the insurrection. Recall on Jan. 4, Eastman had told Jacob during the meeting that he would NOT recommend Pence reject electors. 

But almost as soon as Eastman sat down with Jacob the next morning, the words came spilling out of his mouth. 

“I’m here to request that you reject the electors.” Eastman said. 

Jacob was so surprised by this that he grabbed a notebook nearby and jotted it down. Investigative counsel John Wood had Jacob establish this change of positions clearly on Thursday.

The joint session was just 24 hours away at this point.

“So, Eastman meant to abandon the very approach he had just argued for? 

Jacob was unequivocal before the select committee.

“Yes,” he said.

Jacob grabbed a notebook and wrote down what Eastman said "requested VP reject."
So Eastman urged Pence to adopt the very same approach that Eastman ABANDONED with Trump the day before.
Jacob says yes. pic.twitter.com/UXoZIawl3E

— Brandi Buchman (@Brandi_Buchman) June 16, 2022

Thursday, Jun 16, 2022 · 6:54:42 PM +00:00 · Brandi Buchman

Recess is over. 

Thursday, Jun 16, 2022 · 7:00:43 PM +00:00 · Jessica Sutherland

Here’s former Pence COS Marc Short explaining Trump’s false statement about being “in alignment” with Pence about the elector scheme:
 

Thursday, Jun 16, 2022 · 7:10:14 PM +00:00 · Jessica Sutherland

Trump called Pence on the morning of Jan. 6 and now we are seeing video of family in the Oval on the morning.
Ivanka Trump describes the mood as loose and casual.
At 11:20AM. Trump was on the phone with Pence on Jan. 6.

— Brandi Buchman (@Brandi_Buchman) June 16, 2022

Thursday, Jun 16, 2022 · 7:10:40 PM +00:00 · Jessica Sutherland

Trump sent a tweet at 2:24PM ET saying Pence didn't have the courage to overturn results. Riot had started already.
We see video of Trump's supporters saying "that's when we marched on the Capitol" and that Pence should be removed or worse, that he betrayed the US and the people pic.twitter.com/mXqqpsBeD7

— Brandi Buchman (@Brandi_Buchman) June 16, 2022

Thursday, Jun 16, 2022 · 7:16:50 PM +00:00 · Brandi Buchman

A confidential informant told prosecutors that Proud Boys would have killed Pence had they found him on Jan. 6. Any one they would have caught, they would have killed, the informant testified. 

A confidential informant told prosecutors that the Proud Boys would have killed Pence if given the chance.

Any one the Proud Boys got their hands on, the informant said, they would have killed.

Recall PB Pezzola and others were among very first inside the Capitol during breach pic.twitter.com/FVI6v4V9aM

— Brandi Buchman (@Brandi_Buchman) June 16, 2022

Thursday, Jun 16, 2022 · 7:21:35 PM +00:00 · Jessica Sutherland

Trump World insiders describe what they heard of the Jan. 6 call between Trump and Pence:

 

Thursday, Jun 16, 2022 · 7:25:46 PM +00:00 · Jessica Sutherland

Below, the timeline of Trump’s continued public attacks on Pence—and how the insurrectionist mob interpreted them—is further detailed. Around 5:30 in, a powerful collection of previously unreleased photos and an animation demonstrate just how close danger came to the vice president as he and his team were rushed to a secure location.

Thursday, Jun 16, 2022 · 7:25:55 PM +00:00 · Brandi Buchman

Even after the Capitol was sacked, the vice president nearly killed, multiple people killed and hundreds of police officers injured, John Eastman still kept pushing, writing to Pence and asking him if they would adjourn the legislature and send slates back to the states. 

Pence, Jacob said, called this “rubber room stuff.” 

When Rep. Aguilar asked counsel Jacob what he took this to mean, Jacob said it was clear. 

Pence believed what Trump and Eastman wanted, especially after all the bloodshed, was “certifiably insane.”

We now see an email from Eastman to Jacob where Eastman tells him that the Electoral Count Act was "not quite so sacrosanct." AGAIN, AFTER THE ATTACK, Eastman still asks Pence to adjourn the legislature and send the slates back to the states.

— Brandi Buchman (@Brandi_Buchman) June 16, 2022

Thursday, Jun 16, 2022 · 7:34:39 PM +00:00 · Brandi Buchman

The committee shows an email from Eastman sent to Rudy Giuliani two days after the insurrection and asked to be put on a list for a pardon. 

Herschmann: "Good John, now I'm going to give you the best free legal advice you've ever received in your life: get a great fucking criminal defense lawyer, you're going to need it."

Eastman emailed Giuliani 2 days later and asked to be put on a list for a pardon. pic.twitter.com/CONGUbnQPK

— Brandi Buchman (@Brandi_Buchman) June 16, 2022

Thursday, Jun 16, 2022 · 7:37:41 PM +00:00 · Jessica Sutherland

Below, Eric Herschmann provides the full context of the oft-played “’Orderly transition.’” clip.

Thursday, Jun 16, 2022 · 7:38:03 PM +00:00 · Brandi Buchman

As we go into the next hearings, vicechair Liz Cheney says that the committee will examine the pressure exerted on state legislatures by Trump and his team of lawyers pushing to get his fake electors in place. 

We will also hear from members of the DOJ, Thompson says. This sounds like it would be the witnesses for the hearing that was previously postponed. 

Thursday, Jun 16, 2022 · 7:39:33 PM +00:00 · Jessica Sutherland

Below, Rep. Aguilar notes Eastman’s immediate actions after Jan. 6, and how he behaved during his deposition with the committee.

Thursday, Jun 16, 2022 · 8:00:04 PM +00:00 · Jessica Sutherland

Today, the Jan. 6 committee released previously unseen images of Mike Pence during the insurrection.