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Rep. Greg Pence said Monday that six years in Congress was enough, and the political climate in Washington had played a part in his recently announced decision to retire.

I always committed to six years and theres a lot of people that know that, Pence, R-Columbus, told a gathering of the Columbus Golden K Kiwanis Club. And then I like to mention this because I get asked this often, What about the chaos is that why you left, the chaos in the House of Representatives? And I said, that certainly didnt incentivize me to change my mind.

Were not able to get anything done because of, we call it the chaos caucus among ourselves in the Republican Party, and we need to start getting some things done, Pence said.

This includes the roughly 45 GOP members of the far-right House Freedom Caucus who are able to thwart the Republican majority in a narrowly divided House. We will have to address the border when the border bill comes from the Senate and so we need to get the budget behind us and address the budget, address the fentanyl crisis, which is enormous.

But Pence said he believes that because House Speaker Mike Johnson has the support of former President Donald Trump, hardline conservative Republican members will be reluctant to remove the speaker as they did former Speaker Kevin McCarthy last year. That led to congressional paralysis as numerous speaker candidates failed to secure a majority of members votes.

I dont think we want to throw out somebody again, Pence said. That was ridiculous. That was absolutely ridiculous. I was there for September and October, I was supposed to be there for six weeks during those nine weeks, I was actually there for all nine weeks in the fall and got nothing done other than finally electing a new speaker. I think everybody feels like, Well, that wasnt a good idea.

Pence, 66, announced earlier this month that he would not seek a fourth term in Congress and also cited the extensive travel he must do as a factor in deciding to retire. He noted he spent about 155 nights a year in Washington, leaving little time for family back home.

Pence is among a wave of congressional retirements. As of Monday, he is among 18 Republican House members including four from Indiana who have said they will not seek re-election, according to the U.S. House of Representatives. Likewise, 22 Democratic members have said they will not seek re-election in November.

The congressman, who will serve out the remainder of his term this year, also is considering a possible bid for Indiana lieutenant governor as he supports current Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch in this years competitive race for the Republican nomination for governor.

Im very behind the lieutenant governor, Pence said in an interview after taking questions from Kiwanis members. Well see how it goes. Nobodys made any commitments to anybody. I think thats important. Ive even said to the lieutenant governor, Well see you it goes. I dont want you to feel Im pressuring you or anything.

Indiana works, you know, and when Im out in D.C. and weve got all the dysfunction and all that, I come back here and talk to people and say, Dont confuse the state of Indianas government with Washington, D.C. And so continuing that is pretty important, and she obviously has the ability and the background to do that, Pence said of his support for Crouch.

Still, Crouch faces a field of several well-funded candidates including outgoing U.S. Sen. Mike Braun, ousted former Indiana Attorney General Curtis Hill and former Indiana Economic Development Corp. leaders Brad Chambers and Eric Doden also seeking the Republican nomination for governor.

I think itll probably get nasty here pretty soon, Pence said of the race. Asked what his gut tells him, he said, Depends on how nasty it gets between Braun and these other fellows. Thats my gut.

I think its gonna get real nasty. I just know their consultants, Pence said with a laugh. Im not a negative campaigner, though. Thats for other people.

Aside from campaigning for Crouch, Pence said he has no other political ambitions and he doesnt plan to campaign for federal candidates in the upcoming general election that will feature a presidential race. He noted he had campaigned for his brother, former Vice President Mike Pence, before he abandoned his run for the Republican presidential nomination.

Likewise, he said he doesnt expect to endorse a candidate in the Republican race to succeed him in House District 6. So far, State Rep. Mike Speedy, R-Indianapolis, is the only Republican candidate who has filed ahead of the Feb. 9, but Pence said about a half-dozen people have talked to him about possibly filing.

Pence said he plans to focus on his family business he and wife Denise own the Exit 76 Antique Mall and other ventures. He said wont miss the 40-some weeks out of the year that involved traveling to or from the nations Capitol.

A Kiwanis member asked Pence if he was optimistic for the countrys future, and he said he was, though he acknowledged optimistic perspectives dont always get attention in politically polarized times.

Weve had worse times in our country than disagreeing on policy, Pence said. Theyre not drafting our kids to get them to fight, right? Were not fighting each other with bullets I think theres a lot more people in the House of Representatives that think, feel that this antagonism has to go away. Theres a lot more people, unfortunately, social media and all that trending garbage on both fringes that we see and hear all the time.

By Dave Stafford, of The (Columbus) Republic, a sister newspaper to the Daily Journal.

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Rep. Greg Pence: Chaos in Congress a factor in retirement - Daily Journal

Rep. Greg Pence (R-IN), former Vice President Mike Pences older brother, will retire at the end of his term, the self-described unwavering pro-life, pro-Second Amendment, and faith-driven conservative announced Tuesday.

In 2017, I ran for Congress because I was Ready to Serve again, the 67-year-old father of four posted on X, formerly Twitter. As a former Marine Officer, I approached the job with purpose. After three terms, Ive made the decision not to file for reelection.

Pence said he and his team will continue to focus on delivering outstanding constituent services to those in Indianas 6th District, and called his time representing them in Washington, D.C., a privilege and honor.

On his still-live campaign website, Pence, who voted against impeaching former President Donald Trump following the U.S. Capitol riot on Jan. 6, 2021, calls himself a staunch supporter of the Trump-Pence agenda, and says he will fight alongside the President to Make America Great Again.

Pence joined the Marines in 1979, rising to the rank of first lieutenant before being honorably discharged five years later. He then ran a chain of gas stations with his family, leaving behind a trail of contaminated soil and water that spanned three states and cost taxpayers more than $20 million to clean up, according to the Associated Press. Pence, who owns a pair of antique malls with his wife, came under fire last year over allowing racist items to be displayed for sale at one of them.

Pence was sworn in to Congress in 2019, and serves on the House Energy and Commerce Committee, the Subcommittee on Energy, and the Subcommittee on Consumer Protection and Commerce.

The Congressmans priorities include limited government, fiscal responsibility, economic development, domestic energy productionand most importantly, the protection of conservative Hoosier values in Washington, his official page says.

A plethora of GOP lawmakers have recently announced they would not not be running for re-election. Pences announcement comes one day after Rep. Larry Bucshon (R-IN) announced he would be stepping down after more than a decade in office.

Scripture teaches us, For everything there is a season, and it became clear to me over the Christmas holiday with much discernment and prayer that the time has come to bring my season in public service to a conclusion, Bucshon said in a press release on Monday. Therefore, I will not seek reelection to an eighth term and conclude my service in the House of Representatives at the end of the 118th Congress.

Continued here:
Mike Pence's Brother Joins Republicans Retiring From Congress - The Daily Beast

Just over three years since rioters stormed the Capitol and targeted him, former Vice President Mike Pence pushed back against the theory popularized by former President Donald Trump and members of his MAGA base that the FBI was responsible for the Jan. 6 insurrection.

Ive heard the many repeated assurances from the FBI that they were not involved, and I take them at their word, Pence said during an interview on CNNs State of the Union, Sunday.

Trump has leaned on the conspiracies around Jan. 6 as he looks to retake the White House, claiming Antifa and the FBI were leading the charge as his supporters marched from his rally rally to the Capitol. Those who have been imprisoned for joining the riot are hostages, Trump has said on the campaign trail, a description echoed Sunday by Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.) on NBCs Meet the Press.

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Pence says he believes the FBI didn't contribute to Jan. 6 riot - POLITICO

Former United States vice president Mike Pence visited the headquarters of Israels Northern Command on Friday night during his solidarity trip to the country, the IDF and Israeli media reported.

Pence met with Maj.-Gen. Ori Gordin, who presented him with an up-to-date picture of Israels activity in the northern sector. Gordin noted that Hezbollah had violated a regional ceasefire established by the United Nations at the end of the Second Lebanon War.

Pence also met with reserve soldiers of the 7338th Artillery Brigade, who have been protecting the northern border since October 7.

In this meeting, Pence commended the commitment of the reserve officers who left their jobs and families to protect their country, as well as their determination to continue to do so until security is fully restored in the North.

In an interview with CBN News, the former vice president discussed American support for Israel, antisemitism, and his own beliefs as a Christian Zionist.

I came to Israel to say to the people of our most cherished ally that the American people are with you, Pence said.

Pence emphasized that it is so important that the US makes it clear that we are with Israel today, we will be with Israel tomorrow, and we will be with Israel every day until the threat of Hamas terrorism from Gaza is eliminated once and for all.

On his visit to Israel, Pence visited the kibbutzim that were most affected by the attack on October 7 and met with families from these kibbutzim, as well as the families of those who are still held hostage in Gaza.

In the interview, Pence said that it was deeply moving to see their enduring hope that they will be reunited with their families one day.

Walking through the kibbutzim and the streets has only steeled his determination to be a voice of American support for Israel, he said.

When asked what he thinks about President Joe Biden seeking to limit some of the fighting, he said, I just dont accept it.

Pence recalled what it was like in the US after 9/11 and how important it was that allies of the US stood by it in its decision-making after the attack, and how its actions were not questioned.

He said that he believes that Israel deserves the same support from the Biden administration that the US received from the Jewish state after 9/11.

We need our leaders, and we need everyday Americans to resist the temptation of being drawn into that traditional pattern of world opinion that somehow always seems to find a way to blame Israel, Pence said.

And we need to recognize that this is a moment where the very survival of the Jewish state of Israel is at risk.

In the CBN interview, he also recalled his time on the Foreign Affairs Committee in Congress when Israel withdrew from Gaza.

He said that he remembers seeing synagogues bulldozed in Gaza, and that he expressed concern over whether Gaza could be a democracy in spite of the presence of terrorist organizations such as Hamas.

Pence, who was vice president from 2017-2021, added that he believes that what happened on October 7 is evidence of the failure of those decisions and the failure of the Palestinian leadership to step up and create prosperity for its own communities in Gaza.

When asked about antisemitism on college campuses in the US and the widespread pro-Palestinian protests in support of Hamass actions on October 7, Pence said that it was deeply troubling. However, he added that he has been moved by the outpouring of support for Israel across America.

We stand with Israel because her cause is our cause, her values are our values, and her fight is our fight, Pence concluded.

Around noon, the former Vice President also visited the Western Wall in Jerusalem for a prayer. Pence was received sympathetically by the worshipers who praised his support for Israel.

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Former US VP Mike Pence to Israel: 'The American people are with you' - The Jerusalem Post

Claim:

A photograph authentically shows former U.S. Vice President Mike Pence signing an Israeli army artillery shell in January 2024.

Israeli outlet Ynet appears to be the only source of the photograph. We are looking for independent confirmation about the photograph's origins and context.

The protracted, often bloody Israeli-Palestinian conflict exploded into a hot war on Oct. 7, 2023, when the militant Palestinian group Hamas launched a deadly attack on Israel and Israel retaliated by bombarding the Gaza Strip. More than 20,000 people, the vast majority of them Palestinians, were reportedly killed during the first two months of the war alone. The violence is driven by mutual hostilities and territorial ambitions dating back more than a century. The internet has become an unofficial front in that war and is rife with misinformation, which Snopes is dedicated to countering with facts and context. You can help. Read the latest fact checks. Submit questionable claims. Become a Snopes Member to support our work. We welcome your participation and feedback.

In January 2024, former U.S. Vice President Mike Pence visited Israel in a show of support after the Oct. 7, 2023, attack by Hamas fighters. A photograph of Pence soon went viral, showing him apparently signing Israeli army artillery shells with a pen.

One post claimed he was signing bombs intended for Gaza. An article said he signed the weaponry with his own name.

The above photograph was posted by Ynet, an Israeli news organization that reported on Pences Jan. 5, 2024, visit to Israels border with Lebanon. Ynet appears to be the only source of the photograph and we are looking for independent confirmation of its authenticity. As such, we have rated this story as a "Research in Progress."

The article is in Hebrew and according to Google Translate, Pence was following a custom of signing artillery shells and wrote "For Israel. Pence was also on the northern border with Lebanon, so the weapons on display were presumably intended to be used against Lebanon, according to The New Arab. Photographs in the same Ynet report showed Pence walking alongside Israeli soldiers and officers. The report stated he ate lunch with them.

The unfurled link to the article also revealed a closeup of the artillery shells with Pence's supposed note and signature:

Pence described his visit in a post on X, writing: Traveled to Israels Northern Command today to meet with military leaders and joined @IDF soldiers stationed near Israels border with Lebanon.

The weapons shown in the photograph according to Ynet were shells of the artillery forces. Shells are a form of ammunition.

Maya Lecker, an editor at Israeli news outlet, Haaretz, criticized Pences signing of the weapons in an opinion piece. She described how many Israelis had begun the practice of signing mortar shells or missiles with poems or dedications to their loved ones before launching them into Gaza or Lebanon, calling the action morbid and revengeful.

She wrote:

To some of us watching, especially from afar, this seems counterintuitive, even grotesque: Why would someone who has just lost a friend or family member in an awful terror attack want to take part in hurting another person? In continuing the circle of violence? For others, it all makes perfect sense: People find comfort in the symbolic act that makes them feel like they are part of fighting back. And anyway, are missiles with a few squiggles made in black marker deadlier than others? Aren't the missiles themselves the problem?

But what ordinary people with little control over any aspect of their lives should be forgiven for, powerful heads of state and decision makers shouldn't be. When Israeli President Isaac Herzog signed a mortar shell in a photo op with IDF soldiers on the border last month, he was saying like Haaretz journalist Netta Ahituv pointed out that "revenge" is an official goal of the war.

And when former U.S. Vice President Mike Pence a representative of a country that has the power to use military and financial support to Israel to change the course of the war signed a mortar while on a visit to the Lebanese border last week, he was sending a message of gleeful killing and uncritical thinking.

Since fighting broke out between Hamas and Israel in October 2023, armed groups in Lebanon, including Hezbollah, have engaged in an exchange of fire with Israel. Thousands of people along the Lebanon and Israel border were displaced as a result.

In sum, we were unable to independently confirm what exactly Pence wrote on the shell or find an additional media source for the above photograph. Until we know more, we rate this story as a "Research in Progress."

Israeli Minister Gantz Says Situation on Lebanon Border Demands Change. Al Jazeera, https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/12/27/israeli-minister-gantz-says-situation-on-lebanon-border-demands-change. Accessed 8 Jan. 2024.

Lecker, Maya. Mike Pence Shouldnt Have Signed His Name on an Israeli Bomb. Haaretz, Jan. 7, 2024. Haaretz, https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/haaretz-today/2024-01-07/ty-article/.highlight/mike-pence-shouldnt-have-signed-his-name-on-an-israeli-bomb/0000018c-e4a6-d765-ab9d-f4ffc84e0000.Accessed 8 Jan. 2024.

"Mike Pence Visits Sderot, Israel." Associated Press, http://www.youtube.com, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bunw130cWeE. Accessed 8 Jan. 2024.

"Shell | Types, Calibers, Uses." Britannica, Jan. 7, 2024, https://www.britannica.com/technology/shell-ammunition.Accessed 8 Jan. 2024.

US Mike Pence signs Weapons for Lebanon Strikes in Israel. The New Arab, Jan. 6, 2024, https://www.newarab.com/news/us-mike-pence-signs-weapons-lebanon-strikes-israel.Accessed 8 Jan. 2024.

", . : , ." Ynet, Jan. 5, 2024. http://www.ynet.co.il, https://www.ynet.co.il/news/article/s1pviobua.Accessed 8 Jan. 2024.

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Real Photograph of Mike Pence Signing an Artillery Shell in Israel? - Snopes.com