Pence plans to form political group as he runs out of time with Trump and Capitol riot

WASHINGTON – Former Vice President Mike Pence is starting to build a political future without Donald Trump, including planning to form a policy-oriented political committee that would help him maintain a relationship with donors, according to several sources close to his projects.

Pence, who left Washington and took a vacation after his inauguration with his wife in St. Croix before relocating to Indiana, is expected to announce his new business in the coming weeks, sources said.

To say that the end of his mandate was difficult would be to say the least. His relationship with Trump has been virtually non-existent since a host of supporters of the former president stormed the U.S. Capitol in an unsuccessful attempt to assassinate Pence and overturn the election result. Prior to the January 6 riot, Pence’s time with Trump had been defined by the Vice President’s role as a loyal soldier.

After Pence and his family had to be kicked out of the Senate chamber and hidden from rioters, it raised questions about whether he could testify in Trump’s upcoming impeachment trial, which will examine whether the former president was guilty insurgency after encouraging his supporters to go to Capitol Hill.

However, there have been no signals from lawmakers who will lead the impeachment trial that Pence could be called as a witness, such as a discussion of conducting depositions or preparing a statement.

And those close to Pence believe his legal counsel would argue he has executive privilege, according to a Republican source. Executive privilege is the constitutional protection that prohibits the legislative branch from convincing the executive branch.

But it’s still unclear whether the staff who were with Pence on January 6, and who also experienced the riot, would also be able to invoke executive privilege.

Pence also seems ready to start a new chapter and move on.

In the following month, he is likely to announce the formation of a political organization known as 501 (c) 4 to amplify his positions on a “coherent conservative philosophy,” as described by a person familiar with the plan. A 501 (c) 4 group can be active on political issues, but is not allowed to engage in a campaign. This type of group can also keep its donors secret.

Creating his own group would give Pence a foothold in the fundraising world, allowing him to maintain donor relationships in case he decides in 2024 to run for president.

Pence is not expected to make an announcement on his own future campaigns until the mid-term of 2022, and advisers warn he has not made a final decision on his candidacy.

Pence can write a book. And he is expected to start the election campaign ahead of the 2022 races to support Republican candidates, especially in gubernatorial races.

Trump has suggested to his allies that he is keen to get involved in the primaries against Republicans who believe they have wronged him, according to sources familiar with the talks. But Pence sources say the former vice president has not discussed the potential for incumbent support against Trump.

“It’s a long way,” said one of the people familiar with Pence’s thought.

Pence chooses to stay out of public view for the time being.

The Pences do not own a home after spending the previous four years in the Vice Presidential Residence and the previous four years in the Indiana Governor’s Residence.

He plans to stay with a family member temporarily in Indiana until he purchases a house in the state later this year and plans to make it his permanent residence.

He remains protected by the secret service, which is typical of former vice presidents, but takes on added importance after the attacks on his life.

Pence’s allies remain furious that Trump never contacted Pence while he was hiding in the Capitol, and by most accounts the relationship between the two is a shell of what it once was.

But the two could return to the same scene later this spring: The Republican National Committee invited Trump and other 2024 hopefuls – including, potentially, Pence – to their spring meeting in Palm Beach in April.