U.S. Vice-President Mike Pence was reportedly called a "pussy" by President Donald Trump for refusing to overturn the results of country's recent Presidential election, which was something he could not legally do, the New York Times reported.
"Pussy" exchange allegedly happened on day of Capitol storming
The exchange purportedly happened on Jan. 6, just before Pence headed to the U.S. Capitol to oversee the counting of the Electoral College votes of the election.
In a phone call, Trump allegedly told Pence:
"You can either go down in history as a patriot...or you can go down in history as a pussy.”
The same day subsequently saw pro-Trump supporters storm the Capitol while Congress was in session to count the votes.
Crowds in the Capitol could be heard chanting, "Hang Mike Pence!", with some of the intruders reportedly talking about how they wanted to find the vice president and execute him.
Pence himself was evacuated from the Senate floor during the attack.
Trump was wrongly led to believe that Pence could overturn election results
The New York Times further reported that Trump had been incorrectly told that Pence, in his capacity as President of the Senate, could stop the final validation of U.S. President-elect Joe Biden.
Trump began to pressure Pence on the matter, egged on by his lawyers Rudy Giuliani and Jenna Ellis as his legal challenge against the results began to fall apart.
This was despite Pence's own legal counsel conducting his own research on the issue, and concluding that Pence did not have such power.
Pence rules out invoking 25th amendment to remove Trump
However, Pence stated that he is opposed to invoking the 25th Amendment to remove Trump from office, the Financial Times reported.
According to USA Today, the 25th Amendment states that the vice-president and a majority of the U.S. cabinet can deem a President "unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office."
In such a scenario, the Vice-President will immediately assume the role and duties of the President.
However, should the President dispute the claim, two-thirds of both the House and the Senate must then vote to put the Vice-President in charge.
The Associated Press (AP News) reported that Pence told U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi in a letter on Jan. 12 that he is opposed to the use of the 25th amendment as a mechanism for "punishment or usurpation."
Instead, it should be reserved for instances of medical or mental incapacitation, he added.
However, as of Jan. 13, Singapore time, the U.S. House of Representatives has since voted 223 to 205, calling on Pence to invoke the 25th Amendment against Trump to strip him of power.
With Pence likely refusing to follow the House's direction, Pelosi will proceed with a vote on a second impeachment.
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Top left photo from Donald Trump Facebook, right photo from Mike Pence Facebook